A BRAND new multi-million pound Visitor and Watersports Centre has been officially opened by Welsh Water.

Officially opened yesterday, the new £2.5million facility is based at Llandegfedd Reservoir, near Pontypool, at the lake which offers more than six miles of scenic footpaths as well as angling and sailing.

At Llandegfedd, visitors can take a stroll or a picnic along a number of dedicated walking trails, explore the woodland and enjoy the array of wildfowl that visit and reside around the reservoir.

The site’s brand new Visitor Centre contains a restaurant offering a variety of meals and snacks and visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the reservoir.

The Watersports Centre offers a variety of land and water-based activities including team-building, windsurfing, dinghy sailing, stand-up paddle-boarding, canoeing, kayaking, raft building – all with full equipment hire.

The Watersports Centre also has a brand new training centre with changing facilities, showers and a viewing balcony and it will provide a base for Llandegfedd Sailing Club and other local activity groups.

Owned by Welsh Water, the company has transformed Llandegfedd into a hub for health and enjoyment.

Welsh Water’s Chief Operating Officer, Pete Perry said: “I am delighted with our new Visitor and Watersports Centres here at Llandegfedd. It provides a great facility for people to enjoy the beautiful views and special environment.

“The Watersports Centre is a huge asset for local activity groups and this jewel in the crown at Pontypool should prove to be a great tourist attraction, drawing people from all over the world.

“We’ve been able to deliver this exciting project because of Welsh Water’s unique customer-focused model. Unlike other water and energy companies, we don’t have shareholders. This means that we’re not only able to keep bills down, but also reinvest to give our customers fantastic recreation attractions like here at Llandegfedd.”

Welsh Water’s Senior Sailing Instructor, Matt Philpott said: “Llandegfedd is one of the best locations in the UK for watersports. We teach everything from sailing and windsurfing to paddle boarding and canoeing using top of the range equipment and fully qualified instructors."

Welsh Water expect the significant investment at Llandegfedd to attract tens of thousands of extra visitors to the area each year, which will significantly boost the local economy in the area.