Welsh Labour has pledged to overhaul Wales’ water system and tackle pollution in rivers - including the Usk - if re-elected in May, as the Welsh Government publishes a Green Paper setting out long-term reforms.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced the party’s proposals, which include a new Welsh water watchdog, a Clean Water Bill for Wales, and a dedicated fund to crack down on water pollution. The plans also aim to ensure fair and affordable services, modern infrastructure, and safe, high-quality drinking water.

Mahaboob Basha, the Welsh Labour candidate for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, welcomed the announcement.

“Our River Usk means so much to so many of us across Brecon and Radnorshire and we want to ensure that current and future generations can enjoy it for years to come,” he said.

"People keep raising the condition of the River Usk on the doorstep and today’s pledge shows that Welsh Labour is listening.”

The Green Paper, titled Shaping the Future of Water Governance in Wales, responds to the findings of the Independent Water Commission, established jointly by the Welsh and UK governments and published last July. It sets out proposals to create a dedicated Welsh economic regulator for water, supported by new legislation and stronger oversight of water companies.

The Welsh Government has already committed £5 million in 2026-27 to strengthen enforcement and drive improvements in rivers and seas. The Green Paper also highlights the need for updated infrastructure, more rigorous inspections, and tighter controls on the spreading of sewage, slurry, and digestate on farmland.

The Deputy First Minister, said: “Our ambition is clear and bold: clean and thriving rivers, safe and high-quality drinking water, fair and affordable services, and modern infrastructure ready for the future.

“We will strengthen accountability, rebuild trust and create a system that is simpler, stronger and more transparent.”

Environmental charity Afonydd Cymru described the proposals as a potential “beacon of hope” but warned that stronger enforcement, adequate funding, and clear governance of cross-border waterways would be essential.

In a statement, it said: “We welcome this Green Paper, its proposed direction for Wales and its significant potential to effect positive change.

“It must be remembered that it is just a consultation at this stage and nothing yet is set in stone. However, it does present an opportunity for Wales to co-design a water sector that works for us and for rivers.

“There will, no doubt, be strong challenge to some of the proposed reforms. The hope is that following the consultation, this and the next Welsh Government will press on with the much-needed reforms without unnecessary delay.”

The Welsh Conservatives have warned a new regulator alone won’t stop pollution or rising bills. Plaid Cymru called for full devolution of powers over water. The Welsh Liberal Democrats said it was “a step in the right direction, but on its own it will not be enough” and Reform UK Wales said people would "judge these reforms on their results".

A consultation on the new proposals lasts until early April.