Completed in 1967, Clywedog reservoir is owned and operated by Hafren Dyfrdwy, part of the Severn Trent PLC, with water levels controlled by the England-based Environment Agency, with oversight from Natural Resources Wales, writes councillor Elwyn Vaughan.

There have been longstanding concerns locally regarding the management of the reservoir, particularly during severe weather conditions – including during February 2022 – with a great deal of agricultural land and some properties downstream along the River Severn experiencing flooding.

It is the tallest concrete dam in the UK with a height of 72 metres. Yet, despite the complaints, rather than tackle the lack of local management, Severn Trent are promoting the idea of increasing the output of water from the dam.

Water Resource West, a group of abstractors, their representatives and their regulators are currently exploring options, including the potential to transfer water from the Severn to Thames.

Here we are again, once more the utilities and assets of Wales to be taken for a pittance for others to benefit and hardly anyone is aware of the plans.

We already as Wales supply 360 million litres a day at a mere 3p a tonne, a pittance and disgrace. We should be receiving a much higher price for the water we already provide.

We are talking about big business and if we were paid properly Mid Wales would receive hundreds of millions of pounds which would transform our economy and public services which are being cut year after year.

Powys Council alone faces further £30 million in cuts. The rich get richer whilst Mid Wales is squeezed.

Water is our oil and will be the most valuable resource in years to come and it’s fair that our communities in Wales should benefit substantially from it.

Our commodities in Wales have been taken for the benefit of others far too long – it’s time we had control over our own assets and not see multinational corporations reap the awards.

A new era of co-operation between Wales and England in which water supplies are developed and shared would demonstrate that a transformation had taken place in the way the different nations of the UK can work together.

England has the chance to be both a good neighbour and a good customer.