The Welsh Government has announced an additional £16 million in funding to address water quality concerns across Wales. The investment, announced by Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, will support efforts to tackle pollution and restore river ecosystems.
During a visit to the Uwch Conwy catchment project in north Wales, the Deputy First Minister highlighted the importance of this funding. The Uwch Conwy initiative, which has already benefited from £40 million through the Water Quality Capital Programme, serves as a model for collaborative environmental efforts.
"I know how strongly people feel about improving water quality and restoring our rivers – and rightly so. That’s why we have provided NRW and the MRA with an extra £16 million of funding this year in the draft budget to do just that," said Irranca-Davies.
The additional funding will enable Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) to tackle several key issues that threaten the water environment. These include pollution from urban areas, transport networks, rural environments, and historic metal mines, as well as restoring rivers that have been altered from their natural state.
Highlighting the impact of ongoing efforts at Uwch Conwy, Irranca-Davies noted: "From re-profiling sections of riverbank so that the river can reconnect to the floodplain; introducing boulders back into the river; planting trees to stabilize riverbanks and restoring peat habitats – these are all great examples of how we can take action to bring a whole range of benefits to both water quality and nature."
Euros Jones, NRW’s Operations Manager for North West Wales, emphasized the broader significance of this funding: "This funding from Welsh Government allows us to tackle some of the key issues that threaten the water environment including climate change impacts. Improving water quality is key to protect habitats and species and benefit people’s wellbeing."
The investment aligns with Wales' commitment to sustainable resource management and environmental restoration, ensuring long-term benefits for both nature and local communities.
