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The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

W.S.I. 2026/121 · Made 13 October 2026

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

AGRICULTURE, WALES

WATER, WALES

Made 13 October 2026

Coming into force 15 October 2026

The Welsh Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 92 and 219 (2)(e) and (f) of the Water Resources Act 1991f1.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

1991 c. 57. Section 92 was amended by section 120 of, and paragraphs 128 and 144 of Schedule 22 to, the Environment Act 1995 (c. 25), and by S.I. 2010/675 and S.I. 2013/755 (W. 90). There are amendments to section 219 which are not relevant to these Regulations. By virtue of article 2 of, and Schedule 1 to, the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672), functions of the Secretary of State under section 92 were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales in relation to those parts of Wales which are outside the catchment areas of the rivers Dee, Wye and Severn. In relation to those parts of Wales which are within those catchment areas, functions under section 92 are exercisable by the National Assembly for Wales concurrently with the Secretary of State. By virtue of section 162 of, and paragraph 30 of Schedule 11 to, the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32), functions under sections 92 and 219 now vest in the Welsh Ministers.

Contents

  1. 1Title and coming into force
  2. 2Amendments to the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021
  3. Signature
  4. Explanatory note

1Title and coming into force

The title of these Regulations is the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 15 October 2026.

2Amendments to the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021

(2)

In regulation 18, after “Subject to regulations” insert “18A,”.

(3)

After regulation 18 insert—

“Temporary exemption for 2026

18A
(1)

Spreading organic manure with high readily available nitrogen on grassland or tillage land (regardless of the soil type for either land) is permitted between 15 October 2026 and 15 November 2026 inclusive, provided that—

(a)

the maximum amount of slurry that is spread at any one time is 30 cubic metres per hectare, and

(b)

there are at least three weeks between each spreading.

(2)

This regulation does not apply to the spreading of poultry manure.”

Signature

Llyr Gruffydd

Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, one of the Welsh Ministers

13 October 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/77 (W. 20)) (“the 2021 Regulations”).

Regulation 18 of the 2021 Regulations prescribes the closed periods during which the spreading of organic manure with high readily available nitrogen is prohibited.

Regulation 2 of these Regulations inserts new regulation 18A into the 2021 Regulations. New regulation 18A provides a temporary exemption from the prohibition in regulation 18, permitting the spreading of organic manure with high readily available nitrogen during the period beginning with 15 October 2026 and ending with 15 November 2026, subject to restrictions on the amount of slurry that may be spread at any one time and the interval between each spreading. The exemption does not apply to the spreading of poultry manure.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ and is published on www.gov.wales.