A new water treatment facility to supply clean, fresh drinking water for Merthyr Tydfil is set to be built.
Welsh Water has confirmed it proposes to construct a new, modern water treatment works on land north of Merthyr Tydfil and east of Trefechan.
The company say it's still finalising the details of the plans, but the site could cover up to 100 acres of land. To put that into perspective it would take around 4.53 football fields to fill up five acres of land, so it's a pretty huge space.
Plans also include pipes to carry water from nearby reservoirs to the new treatment works, and to connect the new works to the existing network, and to provide water supply in the area for decades to come.
Read more: One of Wales' best-loved theatres sells for less than half the price of average house
The plans come following a review by the company into the drinking water systems in the Brecon Beacons area which found that three water treatment works - Pontsticill, Cantref and Llwyn-on - are ageing and nearing the end of their operational life.
As this makes the works more challenging and costly to operate, a solution is required so that water supplies to customers are protected into the future.
The company said it's considered several options for replacing the three works, and found that the best solution is to build a single new works in their place.
It's claimed the new site will also provide additional water storage capacity to ensure a reliable supply that can cater for population growth, and to be resilient to the effects of climate change.
Ian Christie, managing director of water, asset planning and capital delivery at Welsh Water, said: “We’re pleased to reveal our plans for our new water treatment works in Merthyr Tydfil and to begin the process of gaining views from the local community.
"As a not-for-profit company owned on behalf of our customers, one of our top priorities is providing our customers with a first-class water supply direct to their taps and a key part of this is ensuring that our assets and network are resilient to major challenges like climate change which requires careful planning and considerable investment.
“Our plans for the new works reflect this commitment and offer a resilient solution to the challenges we face now and in the future.
"In developing our plans, as well as taking on board the views of the community, we are keen to ensure we’re considering how the plans can benefit the local community such as providing jobs for local people, supporting training opportunities, providing education to schools and colleges and supporting our vulnerable customers.”
The company has carefully considered a number of sites in the area for the new works and assessed each site against set criteria.
This included proximity to the existing reservoirs in the Brecon Beacons along with proximity to the existing drinking water network.
Having carefully reviewed a number of sites, the preferred site is on farmland just to the north of the existing A465 Heads of the Valleys Road, in Merthyr Tydfil.
Welsh Water is now undertaking a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment to understand potential impacts on local communities and the environment resulting from the proposals to identify ways these can be avoided or reduced.
Early findings have already refined the proposals, but further environmental surveys are being carried out to better understand the environmental context.
Consideration is also being made to the external appearance of the buildings and structures to help minimise the landscape and visual impact.
Residents can now have their say on the proposals, and Welsh Water has arranged a series of face-to-face drop in sessions and virtual sessions for this to be made possible.
All of the latest information relating to the proposals can be viewed here.
People can also provide their comments on the proposal, but they need to be submitted to Welsh Water by March 28, 2022.
Information events will also be held where members of the project team will be on hand to answer questions about the project.
The next one will take place on:
- March 15, 2022 between 3pm and 8pm at Cefn Coed Rugby Club, Station Rd, Cefn-Coed-y-Cymmer, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 2NB
Mr Christie added: “We’re keen to ensure that communities in the area are aware of the plans and also have the opportunity to engage and provide us with vital feedback. We’re making the information available online through the virtual information room so that people have the opportunity to get involved and can come to an informed decision about the project."
To read more local stories about Merthyr Tydfil sign up to our newsletter.
