Council bosses from Bridgend have been given an update about the current quality of bathing waters and the impacts of the River Ogmore on the county borough during a scrutiny meeting.
The report was presented to members at a communities, environment, and housing committee by representatives from Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales.
The presentation highlighted how the borough’s three designated bathing sites at Rest Bay, Sandy Bay, and Trecco Bay had all been given “excellent” ratings from Natural Resources Wales for both 2024 and 2025.
However it also noted that four beaches in the borough were not regularly monitored with particular concerns raised about the neighbouring Ogmore-by-Sea and River Ogmore which straddle the county’s border with the Vale of Glamorgan.
Ogmore-by-Sea, which lies within the Vale of Glamorgan, has been given a poor bathing water quality since 2023 – though speakers noted the area’s connection with Bridgend as the river system runs through the borough, with the popular beach located downstream from the Penybont Wastewater Treatment Works.
Addressing a recorded pollution incident in 2024 Welsh Water said there had been no evidence of an ongoing leak from the site’s primary settlement tanks with a wider scheme of work now being carried out.
This would see a pilot known as the south-central bathing waters project which is set to run until March 2027 and intends to identify and address the causes of pollution in the river which they said could be from a number of different sources.
They said they were also working on a £7.5m scheme to increase storm tank capacity at the works alongside a further assessment of storm overflows across Wales.
Following presentations the council’s leader John Spanswick said he had been disappointed with the amount work that had been carried out up until now.
Cllr Spanswick referenced a site visit he made around two years ago to see two storage tanks that were being re-purposed, noting that only one had since been completed.
Speaking to the chamber he said: “It’s been nearly two years for the one tank and it will be getting close to three years for the second tank so I just want to express my disappointment for the length of time it’s taken to bring those tanks in to use.”
He added: “I know it costs money and things don’t happen over night but we see in China or Japan they build a city in the time it’s taken to bring one tank back in to commission – and all the while because those tanks are not in commission there’s sewage going in to the river.
“It’s just not good enough. Welsh Water need to do a lot better and NRW need to do a lot better in enforcing regulations against Welsh Water.”
During the meeting a spokesman for an environmental charity, A Peace For Nature, claimed the local catchment had some of the worst-performing CSOs (combined sewer overflows) in the country, adding rivers such as the Ogmore, Llynfi, Garw, and Ewenny were “full of sewage”.
He also claimed regulation had been “incredibly weak” with there being “no teeth” from NRW over the last 10 years.
After questions about pollution incidents at Bridgend’s Afon Kenfig a Natural Resources Wales representative said where breaches of the regulation occurred they would investigate and take enforcement action.
They also said they were aware of the most recent incident at the Afon Kenfig, confirming an investigation was now under way.
As part of the committee’s recommendations Cllr Ian Williams proposed the local authority look into taking action against Welsh Water on the grounds of statutory nuisance and environmental and public health.
Cllr Jonathan Pratt asked they look at the potential of making Newton Beach a recognised bathing area given its proximity to Ogmore-by-Sea in order for it to be more regularly monitored.
Cllr Martin Williams said he would like to see more technical detail about what interventions would be made in the local rivers.
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