Scouts group stops using river for activities after 100 years due to pollution concerns

• Video report by ITV Wales reporter, Hamish Auskerry

A Scouts group which used the same stretch of river for a 100 years for various activities has stopped due to concerns over river pollution.

Leader of 2nd Llandaff Scout group, Mike Walker, said the River Taff which flows through Cardiff "just doesn't feel safe anymore."

"If you walk up and down the edges of the Taff, you can see the wet wipes and other rubbish hanging from the trees, from when we flood", he said.

"It just doesn't feel healthy so I don't take the Scouts canoeing anymore and we probably won't until we feel the water is cleaner and safer."

• What has caused rivers to be so polluted?

In the 1960s and 70s, more than 70% of rivers in the South Wales valleys were considered "grossly polluted".

The combined effects of industrial decline and tighter regulations have helped to reverse some of that damage, but other sources of pollution are now a key issue.

An obvious reminder comes from storm overflow drains designed to stop sewage system overflowing into our homes during periods of heavy rainfall, but last year Welsh Water released sewage into waterways for nearly 600,000 hours.

• What is being done to help?

Dwr Cymru said it will invest £500m between now and 2030 to target storm overflow drains with the biggest impact.

However, it is estimated that to fix all of the problems with that system, it would cost between £10 and £15 billion.

Meanwhile, on a local level, the 2nd Llandaff Scouts group have started contributing to a UK-wide exercise to test water quality.

"We've joined an organisation called Earth Watch who do a specific water monitoring campaign which they call Water Watch." Said Mike.

"So what the explorers have been doing is testing the water for phosphates, for nitrates and also for clarity so looking at the solids that are carried in the river everyday."

Finlay Hannay is one of the Explorer Scouts taking part in the experiment and said it matters because "it's important to keep our rivers clean and tidy so that everyone can enjoy them."

Another Scout taking part is Milesh Upadhyay, who explained: "The future generations so our kids would want to maybe, if it's clean enough, play in it so we don't want it to be as dangerous for them because that's not good for kids and it's not a nice experience then for the parents if their children get ill because they were playing in the river."

The First Minister said this year "We are a government committed to our rivers", confirming details of a new action plan agreed at the latest River Pollution Summit last month.

Mark Drakeford said: “We need to bring forward, quickly, mitigation measures to create headroom to support sustainable development now whilst also securing the longer-term investment to restore our rivers.” 

“Across the Welsh Government we are committed to improving the quality of our rivers across Wales and the River Basin Management plans, published last year, outline the actions required to allow our rivers to thrive.

Mr Drakeford added: “Although there have been improvements, we need to take an integrated catchment approach focussing on multi-sector co-operation and nature-based solutions to drive water quality improvements.

“Only by combining the actions of every sector can we tackle multiple risks impacting our lakes, rivers and streams and deliver real improvements to the quality of our waterways."

• Is river pollution improving?

Rivers in England and Wales have recovered biologically from pollution since the early 1990s, but improvements appear to have slowed in recent years, according to new research.

Researchers from Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences investigated invertebrates that live on river beds across England and Wales, which are important indicators of river health.

Emma Pharaoh, PhD researcher from Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences, said: “Up to 2018, the number of invertebrate families in our rivers increased by nearly 10%."

"And communities were comprised of more pollution-sensitive invertebrates. We also found that despite urban rivers historically being the most polluted, they showed the greatest improvements - taking them closer in quality to rural rivers.”

The research showed some improvements in rivers in England and Wales appear to have slowed, possibly reflecting the effects of emerging water quality problems from combined sewer overflows, agriculture, climate change and new forms of pollution – such as microplastics or pharmaceuticals.

Dr Ian Vaughan, Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences, said: “These results represent a positive story about rivers, against a background of often bad news. With ongoing issues, including water quality and climate change, rivers face many challenges. These results highlight how biodiversity can recover if environmental quality is improved.”

Ceri Davies, Executive Director of Evidence, Policy and Planning at NRW said: “While we have made good progress in protecting and enhancing our waters over recent decades, this study is a stark reminder that there is still a long way to go. The challenges facing our rivers may evolve with time, but the need for concerted and collaborative action to conserve them remains.

“Now is a pivotal time for change, not complacency, and an opportunity to once again accelerate improvements to our rivers. 

“In Wales we are working in partnership through Nutrient Management Boards to conserve our most precious Special Area of Conservation rivers, restoring other iconic rivers through our flagship Four Rivers for LIFE project and tackling wastewater pollution through the Wales Better River Quality Taskforce. We must all pull together and rise to the challenges – both old and new – that are facing our rivers and our wildlife if we want to save them for future generations.”

Professor Steve Ormerod, Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences and Deputy Chairman of Natural Resources Wales, added: “Urban river improvements since the early 1990s reflect the combined effects of industrial decline, improved regulation and investment in wastewater treatment.

“But hints of a more recent slowdown show how we need further action - especially from regulators, water companies and agriculture – to regain and maintain the positive trends.”