English: Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. We undertook our short, focused inquiry into storm overflows when they were firmly in the public spotlight. There were frequent news headlines about raw sewage being dumped into rivers across England and Wales. There were reports of heated debates in Westminster on tighter laws to tackle sewage spills. Then came Ofwat's announcement of an investigation into water companies on both sides of the border, which were potentially in breach of storm overflow permits. As a committee, we therefore felt it was important to have a clear picture of storm overflows in Wales and the actions being taken to tackle sewage spills. So, what do we know about storm overflows? Well, they're meant to be used infrequently and in exceptional circumstances, when heavy rainfall means that the capacity of the combined sewers is exceeded. They are there as a safety valve so that sewage doesn't flood back into our homes and onto our streets. However unpleasant, given the damage and distress caused by sewer flooding, they are a necessary feature of the sewer system that we have inherited. So, what's the problem? Well, the figures speak for themselves. Rather than being used in exceptional circumstances only, it appears that storm overflows are the norm. According to NRW, in 2020 there were over 105,000 spills - 105,000 spills - from the over 2,000 permitted overflows that are monitored. Is it any wonder, therefore, that the public responded so strongly when these figures were published and that the water companies and NRW were so harshly criticised? And those figures, of course, don't tell the whole story - they don't include spills from permitted overflows without monitors, or from unpermitted overflows. This means that the true number of spills may in fact be much higher.
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. Fe wnaethom ni gynnal ein hymchwiliad byr, penodol i orlifoedd stormydd pan oedd y mater yn cael cryn dipyn o sylw. Roedd yna benawdau newyddion cyson am garthffosiaeth amrwd yn cael ei ollwng i afonydd ledled Cymru a Lloegr. Roedd adroddiadau o ddadlau brwd yn San Steffan ynghylch deddfau llymach i fynd i'r afael â gollyngiadau carthion. Yna, daeth cyhoeddiad Ofwat am ymchwiliad i gwmnïau dŵr ar y ddwy ochr i'r ffin a oedd, o bosib, yn torri trwyddedau gorlifoedd stormydd. Fel pwyllgor, roeddem yn teimlo ei bod hi'n bwysig cael darlun cliriach o orlifoedd stormydd yng Nghymru, a'r camau sy'n cael eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â gollyngiadau carthion. Felly, beth ydym ni'n ei wybod am orlifoedd stormydd? Wel, maen nhw i fod cael eu defnyddio yn anaml ac mewn amgylchiadau eithriadol, pan fo glaw trwm yn golygu nad yw'r carthffosydd cyfun yn gallu ymdopi. Maen nhw yna fel rhyw fath o falf diogelwch fel nad yw carthion yn gorlifo yn ôl i'n cartrefi a'n strydoedd ni. Er mor annymunol ydyn nhw, o gofio'r difrod a'r gofid sy'n cael ei greu pan fydd carthffosydd yn gorlifo, maen nhw'n rhan angenrheidiol o'r system garthffosydd rydym ni wedi'i hetifeddu. Felly, beth yw'r broblem? Wel, mae'r ffigurau'n siarad drostyn nhw eu hunain, i ddweud y gwir. Yn hytrach na chael eu defnyddio mewn amgylchiadau eithriadol yn unig, mae'n ymddangos mai defnyddio gorlifoedd stormydd yw'r norm. Yn ôl Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, yn 2020 roedd dros 105,000 o ollyngiadau - 105,000 o ollyngiadau - o'r dros 2,000 o orlifoedd a ganiateir ac sy'n cael eu monitro. Pa ryfedd, felly, fod y cyhoedd wedi ymateb mor gryf pan gyhoeddwyd y ffigurau hyn a bod y cwmnïau dŵr a Chyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wedi'u beirniadu mor hallt? A dyw'r ffigurau yna, wrth gwrs, ddim yn dweud y stori'n llawn - dydyn nhw ddim yn cynnwys gollyngiadau o orlifoedd a ganiateir sydd ddim yn cael eu monitro, nac yn wir o orlifoedd nas caniateir. Mae hyn yn golygu, felly, y gall gwir nifer y gollyngiadau fod yn llawer iawn, iawn uwch mewn gwirionedd.