Welsh Language Commissioner sets standards on water companies

The Welsh Language Commissioner has announced that water companies Dŵr Cymru and Hafen Dyfrdwy will be placed under a legal duty to provide Welsh language services by August 2025.

Up until now, the two companies have been implementing Welsh Language Schemes in accordance with the Welsh Language Act 1993.

This is the first time that the Welsh Language Commissioner has placed Welsh language standards on organisations that are not considered public bodies.

Following the approval of the Welsh Language Standards Regulations (No. 9) by the Senedd, the Welsh Language Commissioner has now announced which standards water companies in Wales will need to comply with.

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Commitment

Osian Llywelyn, Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner and Director of Regulation said: "We welcome this significant step of bringing water companies, which provide key services to the public in Wales, under the provisions of the Welsh Language Measure (Wales) 2011.

“The standards aim to ensure that the Welsh language is not treated less favourably than English in Wales. As we noted in our recent report – Delivering change together – the enforceable system of Welsh language standards is much more effective, and leads to better services and a real increase in opportunities for people to use the Welsh language.

“The Welsh language belongs to us all and it is vital that the language is promoted and facilitated prominently. By issuing a compliance notice to water companies, our aim is to not only see new opportunities to use the Welsh language in a wider range of situations in Wales, but also to increase the use of these services.

“I would like to thank Dŵr Cymru and Hafren Dyfrdwy for their willing cooperation during the process of setting Welsh language standards. In line with our approach to co-regulation, we look forward to further collaboration as they prepare for the new phase, and we will assist and advise them on the next part of the journey."

Welsh Water Chief Executive Officer Peter Perry said: “We have shown a long-standing commitment to the Welsh Language at Dŵr Cymru, and we fully support the Commissioner’s long-term plan to ensure people can use the Welsh language in all aspects of their lives, in all parts of Wales.

"It is important to us that we provide the outstanding customer service bilingually, and we are already so active in this space ahead of the legal duty that will be placed on us from next summer.“

Louise Moir, Customer Experience and Strategy Lead at Hafren Dyfrdwy added: "As a company in the heart of Powys and Wrexham, we are fully aware of the importance of being able to offer our services to our customers in their preferred language and this is something we do and have already committed to continue.

"Our language schemes demonstrate clear evidence of our commitment and as we come under the Standards in the future we look forward to building on that strong platform."

The two companies, Dŵr Cymru and Hafren Dyfrdwy, will have to comply from August 2025.