Bois y Caca Bois y....

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-I wouldn't want

-to clean these toilets.

-I don't want to think about it!

-I don't want to think about it!

-

-I do think about what happens to it.

-As you get older,

-you need these places more often.

-I don't know

-what happens to it here.

-It's definitely important work.

-After I've done my business,

-it's not my problem any more.

-Ever since the beginning of time...

-..some things

-are essential to the human race.

-Eating, drinking

-and going to the toilet.

-Several types of toilet

-can be found all across Wales.

-Plain ones, luxurious ones.

-But what exactly happens to

-the waste once it's flushed away?

-Your business has since become

-someone else's business.

-After a long journey

-down the pipe...

-..the sewage reaches

-the capable lads of Welsh Water.

-In North Wales, Ian ensures that

-Porthmadog's sewage is dealt with.

-Preserving

-the quality of the water...

-..on the beaches of Barmouth

-and Towyn are Paul and Sion.

-In Mid Wales...

-..it is the duty of Plynlimon Waste

-Services - PWS for short, not poos!

-The company was founded by Luned

-and Alun of Eisteddfa Gurig Farm.

-The company has eight full-time

-staff including their two sons...

-..Emyr...

-..and Aled.

-As they say,

-where there's muck there's brass...

-..but when it comes to

-Porthmadog's sewage...

-..there is

-more than brass to siphon!

-All the waste comes into here.

-People put

-all kinds of things down the toilet.

-Toilet paper, cotton buds...

-..plastic tops, condoms...

-..women's things.

-I've never seen puppies or kittens

-but the larger objects come here.

-If a rat happens to be in there...

-..it gets flushed into this tank

-and this chops it up.

-It's like a giant food processor!

-Then it's pumped to this machine

-and disposed in the skip.

-The lorries

-set out early in the morning...

-..from Eisteddfa Gurig.

-Boss Luned

-keeps everyone on their toes.

-Good morning,

-Plynlimon Waste Services.

-Yes.

-Oh, no. Right.

-I know you're having visitors

-this afternoon.

-We'll do something this morning.

-We'll change our plans for you.

-Don't you worry at all. Ta-ra.

-Within seconds of the phone call...

-..the lads

-are on their way to Ponterwyd.

-The brothers are warming up their

-voices in time for choir practice.

-# Lleucu Llwyd,

-you are precious to me #

-Hello! Anyone home?

-Hello there.

-Goodness me, Em, that was quick.

-Yes, we knew you had a big problem.

-Yes, we knew you had a big problem.

-

-I didn't expect you so soon.

-We have a serious blockage.

-Dafydd's got a problem

-with his toilet again.

-The tank is full.

-It happens. Nothing lasts for ever.

-Just as well, really,

-because we'd be out of a job.

-Too many steaks, Daf.

-That's the problem here.

-When there's an emergency like this,

-I'm indebted to them.

-I don't think people

-appreciate what these lads do.

-It's an unpleasant job.

-It's manure, that's all it is.

-The danger is,

-if it's left for too long...

-..the crust

-will sink to the bottom.

-We won't be able to get it out then.

-It's quite taxing on the back.

-It'll be alright in a moment -

-I'm getting to the bottom.

-The company

-has been operating since 1978.

-It's grown quite a bit in that time.

-Sign that to say we've been here

-and behaved ourselves.

-So you want me to lie?!

-Our sons, Aled and Emyr,

-were leaving school.

-We were looking at other avenues

-to supplement the farm's income.

-It wasn't enough to sustain us all.

-Thanks a million. See you tonight.

-Yes. Choir practice at six.

-Yes. Choir practice at six.

-

-Have you learnt the words?

-We'll be told off.

-We'll be told off.

-

-Yes, I'm sure we will.

-I'm in charge of the office work.

-I do the bookkeeping, as they say.

-It's a lot of work. It's increased

-as the business has grown.

-My husband Alun

-takes care of the farming side.

-It's worked out well so far.

-If they have two or three

-quiet days on the lorries...

-..they can help me with the sheep.

-I'm getting on in years. I'm 76.

-I'm supposed to be retired but

-I don't think I could ever retire.

-I always want to be doing something.

-Not hard labour, mind you.

-I can't be idle.

-As the tourists enjoy themselves

-on the steam train...

-..Ian is busy sorting out another

-skipload of sludge from Welsh Water.

-That was Steve

-bringing sludge from Caernarfon.

-That machine over there picks out

-all these things from the sludge.

-There are trousers here

-if anyone needs a pair!

-We've seen all kinds of things

-flushed down the toilet.

-Stockings, underpants -

-they don't care where it goes.

-But it's us who have to sort it out

-and clean up after them.

-There is more to this job than just

-disposing of waste from the tankers.

-These are aeration tanks

-for Porthmadog.

-The sewerage is treated here.

-When the flow comes in,

-it's exposed to the air...

-..and there's bacteria inside the

-tanks which breaks down the matter.

-When the sewage comes in,

-it's a different colour.

-It's greyer

-and more transparent with bits.

-When it reaches this point...

-..it looks like chocolate sauce.

-It's surprising seeing something

-so dirty change colour...

-..after the next process.

-It looks more like tap water then.

-But I wouldn't drink it!

-You can try it, if you like!

-These days...

-..Welsh Water's treatment works have

-improved in terms of technology.

-Computers have replaced

-the humble shovel and pail.

-It's a new system.

-It treats the water without UV.

-It does the same job. It kills the

-bacteria before it reaches the sea.

-Previously, it was a former

-underground treatment works.

-It was screened, solids extracted...

-..and pumped straight into the sea.

-It's made a big difference.

-Barmouth has recently

-been awarded a blue flag.

-There are two other sites

-in Llanbedr and Fairbourne.

-The quality of the water

-has improved in this region.

-It doesn't require any physical work

-but it involves monitoring...

-..and overseeing everything.

-I'll show you the difference between

-what comes in and what goes out.

-After leaving Dafydd in Ponterwyd,

-an urgent call comes in...

-..from a nearby caravan park.

-We're in Erwbarfe

-near Devil's Bridge.

-Bryn wants us to release

-the pressure from the tank...

-..before the bank holiday.

-We'll make sure it's OK

-for the bank holiday...

-..and everything

-will run sweet for him.

-There it is.

-It's a gigantic tank.

-Bryn installed a new system

-in the past three years.

-It holds 3,000 gallons.

-It's blocked.

-There's no telling

-what you might find.

-It's a good job I came before the

-weekend. The crust was really thick.

-It needed doing.

-It needed doing.

-

-The bank holiday's almost here.

-It'll be here before you know it.

-It'll be alright now because

-we've taken the pressure off.

-It should be OK for a while now.

-It should be OK for a while now.

-

-This is the source of the problem.

-It's the cap from a water container.

-I don't know how it got there.

-But it ended up in the tank.

-Things like this cause us problems.

-Thank you again for coming

-so promptly before the busy weekend.

-No problem at all.

-It's good to know you're there.

-Make sure you're in choir practice

-tonight. Six o'clock.

-Don't forget to learn the words.

-Don't forget to learn the words.

-

-Yes, I'd better had.

-Bye-bye!

-Yet another happy customer.

-Paul and Sion

-have arrived in Towyn...

-..to make sure

-everything's running smoothly.

-All the flows

-come up into two inlet screens.

-From there they go through...

-..to the flow-limiting place

-where we treat 58 litres.

-Anything over that

-goes into the four storm tanks.

-If the rainfall continues,

-it's then pumped into the sea.

-After that

-it settles in two primary tanks.

-From there, it goes through

-the four biological filters...

-..through to

-the two humus to resettle again...

-..and through UV disinfection

-before being pumped into the sea.

-Water is sprinkled

-over the stones...

-..inside which is biological growth.

-Basically,

-that's where the bugs live.

-They eat the majority of stuff.

-The filters turn slowly...

-..dispensing water

-and saturating all the stones.

-Today the Plynlimon lads are using

-a different kind of technology.

-Cameras can get everywhere!

-This is the camera's eye.

-It lets us know

-where the problem is...

-..in the gutter or in the pipe.

-It connects back to the monitor.

-I have a screen here so that

-I can watch what's happening.

-Something always goes wrong.

-The camera steams up

-or the picture is unclear.

-There's always something.

-A small job like this

-always turns into a big one.

-Whoa! One of the joints has split.

-Will it get past it?

-Will it get past it?

-

-It should do. Try it and see.

-Right, OK,

-you've got through it anyway.

-We found out what it was.

-Two metres down

-from the manhole cover...

-..there was a gap in the pipe.

-It's only small but it's enough

-for the water to escape...

-..leaving the sewage

-and paper behind.

-That's what's causing the problem.

-It's up to them now.

-We either dig it out or

-they might decide to line the pipe.

-It's up to them.

-The climax of the year for

-the Thomas family in Plynlimon...

-..is a visit

-to the National Eisteddfod.

-We're very central here.

-Wherever

-the Eisteddfod is located...

-..we can go to the north,

-south or east.

-I'd love to go to the Eisteddfod...

-..but unfortunately

-I have to stay at home.

-Someone has to be at home

-to man the phone...

-..because the calls still come in.

-Two of the staff

-stay behind here with me...

-..to carry out work locally, though

-they have to work longer hours.

-We try to keep everyone happy.

-# As the hours go by... #

-After spending hours learning

-the words to Lleucu Llwyd...

-..it's time for the lads'

-choir practice...

-..where they have to face

-the finely-tuned ear of Caryl Jones.

-We meet at Ysgol Syr John Rhys,

-Ponterwyd, for choir practice.

-The choir is called

-Meibion Y Mynydd.

-This is our last practice

-before the Eisteddfod...

-..so it's a chance for us

-to brush up.

-# Lleucu Llwyd

-# You are beautiful... #

-My father's here, my brother's here

-and Dafydd, my nephew, is here.

-I hope Steff will join us

-in years to come.

-# You're an angel

-# Lleucu Llwyd,

-I will love you for ever #

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-The lads

-have come to the Eisteddfod...

-..but they're not here to compete.

-They're here to install

-Llandow's portaloos.

-Our first job was to empty

-this small lorry into the artic...

-..so that it could

-offload in Cardiff.

-A few loads have already left.

-We must be on our sixth load.

-It's surprising

-where it all comes from.

-We have to check Maes B.

-It's a bit early for the

-caravan site. They're still in bed.

-Yes, it is early to disturb

-the enthusiastic caravanners...

-..but nobody will complain

-about the noise in Maes B.

-Whoa! Turn it off!

-Stop! Grab this, quick!

-Here it is.

-Goodness me!

-This will pay for

-your first pop tonight.

-Look what I found here, Dei.

-That'll do nicely!

-Once it's dried, it'll be great.

-Keep an eye out today.

-There might be more here.

-Leave it to dry

-and it's as good as new.

-Don't put it in your wallet

-or it'll stink!

-Let's go. I'll have to be careful

-in case there's more.

-Following his father's luck

-finding a tenner in the portaloo...

-..Steff is inspired to find

-more cash around the Maes.

-I'm looking for some money.

-We found 5.10p yesterday.

-I've already found 50 pence.

-You never know. It's down to luck.

-While the tourists enjoy themselves

-on Barmouth beach...

-..Paul and Sion, the Welsh Water

-lads, keep an eye on the sewage.

-This is the mixed liquors.

-This is the treatment process

-once the bugs have done their work.

-It goes through a membrane.

-This is what helps it, like the UV.

-It stops the bacteria

-getting through.

-This is the clean water

-that leaves the works.

-It's pumped a kilometre out to sea.

-It's helped Barmouth beach

-achieve blue flag status.

-It's very busy in Eisteddfa Gurig...

-..and Luned

-wants one of the men to return.

-MOBILE PHONE RINGS

-Hello?

-Yes, I'm here.

-Yes, we're down at S4C...

-Hello, hello, how are you? Yes.

-Yes, yes. No, no, we're flat out.

-Hello. How are you? Hello. Hello.

-I know everybody here!

-Hello. Yes.

-Yes, we're keeping busy.

-Everyone's rushed off their feet.

-Turn it off. It's full. Turn it off.

-That was a handful.

-I have to go. We're flat out here.

-Hello! Right, ta-ta.

-She'll leave us alone now

-for the rest of the day, hopefully.

-I doubt she'll phone again.

-They know we're flat out.

-Someone deserves an Oscar.

-The only one who is flat out

-is Dei, poor thing.

-We're taking this load...

-..down to the waterworks

-in Cardiff docks.

-It's a load from the Eisteddfod.

-6,000 gallons of it.

-Most of the time,

-I drive the small lorry...

-..transporting the waste

-to the large ones.

-This is

-the largest works in Wales...

-..and the fourth largest

-in Europe...

-..serving more than 300,000 homes

-and businesses in South Wales.

-But this week they're receiving

-Eisteddfod sewage.

-We treat all the sewage

-that arrives at the waterworks.

-There are two elements

-to the process.

-We extract the water and treat it

-using a biological process.

-That water is cleaned so that it

-is safe to be released into the sea.

-The sludge or the solids

-that are left over...

-..are heated and treated...

-..to create methane gas.

-We then use those gases...

-..to produce electricity.

-The sludge is treated here...

-..and it goes through

-a number of processes.

-But at the end of the day,

-it is dried out...

-..and stored

-in our storage facility here.

-This fertilizer can then be used

-on crops. It's odourless.

-It's free from bacteria.

-It can be used

-as fertilizer on nearby farmland.

-I hope the standard of waste

-from the Eisteddfod...

-..will be of such a high quality...

-..that the farmers

-will have no reason to complain!

-As the Gorsedd

-use the facilities backstage...

-..Emyr and the lads

-encounter a big problem.

-Back at the caravan site...

-..the generator's broken down.

-There's no electric and no pump.

-They have to close one toilet block

-until the generator is fixed...

-..so that the pump can work.

-We'll go up there now

-to empty the tank.

-We'll go with that, I think,

-to ease the panic.

-We'll empty this.

-It looks bad, doesn't it?

-But we'll sort it out.

-Shout above responding shout,

-is there peace?

-Peace!

-Isn't there a spare generator?

-Isn't there a spare generator?

-

-There's a 100 KVA...

-..behind the Pavilion.

-Perhaps we could get that up here

-to power the pump.

-The generator's too small.

-As the winning bard

-sat comfortably among the Gorsedd...

-..nobody could sit on the throne

-in the caravan park.

-Two gallons of flush...

-..and they only hold

-around 300 gallons.

-Everybody will have to go home.

-Are you going to announce it

-over the Tannoy or shall I?

-Here's a job for you, Al,

-go in the pink tent and tell then.

-It's time for you to leave!

-Once again

-the lads have saved the day...

-..and the Eisteddfod continues.

-Any time you ask them to do

-something, they do it without fuss.

-They act promptly.

-Without them, we'd have to

-close down. They are vital.

-The end of another day

-for the Welsh Water lads.

-They're proud

-of their contribution to our lives.

-The next time

-you flush the toilet...

-..think about

-who's on the other end of the pipe.

-Spare a thought

-for the waste water boys.

-The work is OK. It's our job

-to maintain the high standard.

-We want to retain blue flag status.

-People need to learn

-what not to flush down the toilet...

-..and the problems it causes.

-Seeing what we do

-may teach them what not to do.

-I've been doing this for 30 years.

-I enjoy what I do. It's a dirty job.

-The few smells there are

-don't bother me.

-I like the work.

-It's gone well.

-It's over, thank goodness.

-It's time to go home.

-We're a little bit tired now.

-It's over for another year.

-Pity about the weather

-at the start of the week...

-..but it's over now - brilliant!

-It's time to go home now

-and have a rest before the next one.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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