20/05/2026
Update from Welsh Water at Kenfig
Dwr Cymru Welsh Water have been in touch regarding the issues on and around Marlas treatment works and I've been on another site visit. Photo of aeration pump below however water still very murky-I will be meeting with Welsh Water tomorrow tomorrow so if you have any questions, that it would be useful to ask, then please add them in.
Their statement reads as follows:
Work is underway to deal with the discharge into the River Kenfig linked to a burst on the Marlas rising main. We are aware of comments on social media about the incident and understand the concern this is causing in the local community.
Our teams continue to work around the clock to respond to the burst rising main and minimise the impact on the river environment. A temporary treatment works has been installed at Marlas Sewage Pumping Station to deal with the network flows, and we are closely monitoring the process at the site. We are also using aeration equipment 24 hours a day, to help improve water quality of the river by introducing oxygen into the water to support aquatic life and reduce unpleasant odours.
The temporary treatment works will be in place until we have finished work on our temporary overland pipe. Work is underway to install 4.9km of pipework, which will help further reduce the risk of discharges.
This issue stems from the deterioration of the existing rising main. To address this properly, we’re investing £13m to replace 4.5km of sewer main across the Kenfig and Port Talbot area. This will improve resilience in the network, reduce the risk of future failures, and deliver long-term protection for the local environment. We expect the work of replacing the main to be done by January 2027.
We are aware of messages published on social media discussing public access around the site. Access restrictions at the site have been put in place solely to allow operational teams to carry out essential work safely and efficiently. Our site has been secured, and we have reinstated full access to the agricultural land outside of our working area.
We take this incident extremely seriously and reject any suggestion that we are not treating it as a significant operational and environmental issue. Senior operational teams remain fully engaged and we are working closely with Natural Resources Wales, local authorities and other partners on the response.
Members of the public are advised to avoid entering the affected watercourse while work is ongoing.
We thank our customers and stakeholders in the area for your patience, and we apologise for all the disruption that has been caused.
We have set up a dedicated webpage for this incident: https://www.dwrcymru.com/en/help-advice/marlas-rising-main
