16 August 2018

Dear,

ATISN 12523 – Pollution Incident

Thank you for your request which I received on 1 August 2018. You asked for:

 The findings of the NRW report on the pollution incident on the River Teifi in December 2016, and the plan for recovery of the river.  Any information available on steps to be put in place to prevent further incidents of this kind, including regulations regarding the siting and erection of anaerobic digesters, one of which was allegedly the cause of this incident.

I am writing to inform you that the information you have requested is not held by the Welsh Government. However, I believe that Natural Resources (NRW), as the relevant public authority, holds information which you are seeking. You can ask them for the information:

 By telephone: 0300 065 3000 and ask to speak to an Access to Information Officer  By email: [email protected]  By post: ATI Team, , Maes y Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW

Or I can transfer your request to them. Please inform me in writing if you would like me to transfer your request.

However, although we hold no information, as stated above, I did contact NRW to ask whether the report was yet in the public domain, as I would have then forwarded you a link to the report. They tell me that they have now concluded their investigation into the pollution incident on the Teifi near in December 2016, but they are currently considering their enforcement response subject to sufficiency of evidence, and have thus been unable to publish the report to date.

NRW also provided me with the following information that they hope will meet your information request.

NRW explained that during 2017 they carried out works to improve the river environment on the Brennig and Brefi tributaries in the upper part of the Teifi catchment and will be continuing with fencing work on the Brefi in 2018. Fencing restricts access by stock and allows growth of native vegetation, both of which reduce the input of sediment and nutrients to the watercourse. NRW also carried out habitat improvement works on the Hirwaun tributary of the Teifi during 2017 and will be moving on to the Ceri tributary in 2018.

NRW has let a contract to produce a comprehensive report on habitat restoration opportunities on the Teifi. Once this report is completed NRW will begin implementing projects. Funds are in place to begin implementing projects in the autumn.

Within NRW has carried out pollution prevention visits to all farms on the Hirwaun and Carrog catchments and written to the farmers with any required and recommended improvements together with timescales for implementing them. A new Agricultural Officer has been appointed to continue providing pollution prevention advice in Ceredigion and will be part of a team of 8 such officers across Wales.

Should you require more information, you would need to request it from NRW as described above.

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response. Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at: Information Rights Unit, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ or Email: [email protected]

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely,

Water Branch Welsh Government