The Welsh and UK governments have jointly announced a new one million pound funding pot to investigate and analyse pollution in the River Wye. The plans include local farmers and residents, and will offer a comprehensive cross border research programme.
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00:00River pollution has become a growing issue in Wales. Rivers across the country are falling short of safe levels, and increased industry and illegal dumping near our rivers are making them a more and more dangerous place for nature and people to bathe in.
00:13The UK and Welsh governments have seen this as an issue and have put together a cross-border initiative to investigate the high levels of pollution in the Wye River.
00:21The plans see £1 million invested into pinpointing the levels of pollution, specific chemicals and its causes.
00:27UK Water Minister Emma Hardy and Welsh Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced the funding during a roundtable meeting in Monmouth on Monday, not far from the banks of the River Wye.
00:37The river runs for 130 miles from central Wales down to the Severn estuary in south-west England, so a cross-border decision makes sense for the river, which has seen its water quality and wildlife drastically decline over recent years due to agricultural pollution, sewage discharge and phosphates.
00:54On top of investigating the river itself, the plans also look to analyse the impacts of changing farming practices, according to the UK government, meaning anything learned from analysing the River Wye could be invaluable for other rivers across Wales and the rest of the UK.
01:09The plans include crucial roles for local farmers, environmental groups and citizen scientists, alongside established organisations like the Wye Catchment Partnership and Farm Cymru.
01:20Huw Irranca-Davies said this is an important step to protect the River Wye and they are committed to continuing to work together with UK counterparts to restore our rivers.
01:29He says the research funding will support both nature recovery and sustainable farming practices to improve the local environment, and he believes the cross-border element will bring the best minds together to help find answers to questions surrounding our polluted rivers.
01:42Jamie Peech-Watkins reporting for Local TV.