Improving and maintaining the quality of water in the Wye and Usk is a major part of the Foundation’s work. Wherever possible, our objective is to prevent pollution entering the rivers.

Threats to water quality have come from various sources and over the years the Wye and Usk have suffered their fair share of serious pollution events (spot or point source pollution).

But perhaps more serious is what is called “diffuse” pollution. This is a more general malaise which affects the water quality of a river or a whole catchment but is not necessarily traceable to a single point.

Our efforts to resolve diffuse pollution from agriculture is detailed in the Farm Work section.

Acid Waters

In addition to this, the Foundation has been working successfully to correct the acid waters in the upper Wye catchment through a liming programme. Please see here for details.

Litter

Although litter is not always thought of as a “pollutant”, the problems of plastic in the rivers and seas has been publicised widely in recent times. Litter in rivers is also symptomatic of a lack of concern about other, perhaps more harmful substances that make their way into watercourses.

Since 2004, the Foundation and its partners have been running events and litter clear ups along both rivers. Over 100 tonnes of plastic and metal that would otherwise end up in the sea or on beaches has been removed. Please see here for more details.

Help Keep Rivers Clean

For those that care about wildlife and the environment, stopping pollution is a priority.

Yet aquatic flora and fauna aren’t the only beneficiaries of clean rivers. Water companies spend millions of pounds each year removing pollutants from drinking water. The cost of this is usually borne by all of us via our water bills.

Please help us keep rivers clean by supporting this area of our work.