Monmouthshire County Council has welcomed the news from the Welsh and UK Governments of a £1million fund to transform River Wye.

The new £1million joint research initiative aims to tackle water quality in the River Wye.

As a council, we are dedicated to working collaboratively with the Welsh and UK Governments, our neighbouring councils in the Wye Partnership, the Wye Catchment Nutrient Management Board, and local partners to enhance the ongoing work and progressing actions within the council’s Climate and Nature Strategy.

The cross-border research programme will:

• Investigate the sources of the pollution and pressures affecting the river
• Study the impacts of changing farming practices and land management
• Develop and test new ways to improve water quality
• Examine what’s driving wildlife decline and water flow – the movement and quantity of water which is crucial for habitats and species

Monmouthshire County Council is committed to playing its role in cleaning up the rivers that flow through our county and has passed a Motion for the Rivers and Ocean. Our rivers are at the heart of our natural environment, cultural heritage and economy and are of enormous importance for wildlife, recreation and tourism. However, our rivers and oceans are in crisis due to pollution from sewage, agricultural practices, pressure from development, plastics and rising temperatures.

The new investment announced on 11 March 2025 will help the council and its partners to ensure the future of our rivers.

Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, Cllr Catrin Maby, said: “The £1million investment in research is very welcome. As a citizen scientist, I test my local river weekly, and as a council, we’re committed to doing everything we can to tackle climate change and protect the natural environment. We work with our partners across local authorities and sectors in the Wye and Usk catchment partnerships, and were delighted to welcome the Ministers from the UK as well as the Welsh Government to Monmouth this week, and to see them sitting side by side and pledging their commitment to saving our rivers.”

In 2019, Monmouthshire County Council declared a climate emergency. In recognition of the nature as well as the climate emergency, we refreshed our approach and published a Climate and Nature Strategy in 2024. Further information and our strategies can be found here: www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/climate-emergency/