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Authorities have issued warnings for residents to keep their windows and doors closed following a significant fuel leak in the River Taff. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) reported receiving numerous pollution complaints from locations along the river, including Nantgarw, Treforest, and Taffs Well. The contamination has been linked to kerosene, which has now spread nearly 2.5 miles (4 km) downstream.
NRW officials identified the source of the pollution late Friday evening at 19:30 BST but have chosen not to disclose its exact origin at this time. Their teams are actively investigating how the substance entered the drainage system in order to halt the leak completely. Areas affected by the spill also include Glan Y Llyn, Gwaelod-y-garth, and Tongwynlais. Support from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service was enlisted, with personnel utilizing specialist equipment to help minimize the kerosene entering the waterway.
A statement from NRW highlighted ongoing efforts: “Our officers are again on site where action has been taken to significantly reduce the amount of pollution entering the tributary, whilst investigate work is ongoing to try and stop the pollution entirely.” They are also collecting water samples to assess the environmental damage caused by the spill. The first reports of pollution covering about one mile (1.6 km) of the river emerged on Saturday morning from local residents, with the affected area expanding as the investigation continues.
Local residents have described the impact of the spill with concern. Eurig Thomas, who lives in Taff’s Well, noted the strong smell: “It smelt like a petrol station, it hit you as soon as you came out.” He also observed a noticeable oily sheen on the water near his home, which flows from the GE factory into the Taff. Sarah Llewelyn, another local, described sleepless nights due to fumes burning her eyes and called the event “a national disaster.” NRW has estimated that up to 25,000 litres of kerosene have contaminated the river. Gareth Llewelyn, a former hazardous materials officer with South Wales Fire and Rescue, warned of a long recovery ahead, stating, “There is no quick fix” and it will take “years not months” for restoration. He recounted seeing the kerosene pooled in a culvert near the GE site and lamented the environmental damage: “Now there’s no animals, no birds” and all the fish have died, a loss that has “torn the heart out of our community.
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