Charity in legal action against Environment Agency over 'sickening' River Wye pollution

The Environment Agency is being taken to court over claims it has failed to protect the River Wye from pollution.

The charity River Action claims that the Environment Agency is allowing destructive levels of organic manure to enter the river.

A large amount of organic manure has spread over the land to facilitate the industry’s rapid growth in the region, which has led to a substantial increase in levels of phosphorus in the soil.

It is then washed into the river by rainwater and the phosphorus causes algae in the rivers to grow at a much faster rate knowns as an 'algal bloom'.

The algal bloom stops surfaces plants and wildlife by sucking up all the oxygen which turns the water an opaque green.

A study by Lancaster University published in May 2022 found 60-70% of the river’s phosphorus now comes from agriculture - 3,000 tonnes of it are entering the river every year.

"The sickening tragedy is that this could have been seriously mitigated"

Charles Watson, chairman and founder of River Action, said: “The severe ecological collapse of the iconic River Wye is one of the great environmental scandals of our times.

“The sickening tragedy is that this could have been seriously mitigated had the EA enforced existing environmental regulations to prevent the excess application of animal waste on land that was already oversaturated with nutrients.

“The irony is that the same Government that introduced these regulations is giving the EA explicit guidance not to enforce them. This unlawful conduct of the EA has to stop now.”

River action said that despite the River Wye being designated a Special Area of Conservation, the agal blooms have destroyed 90% of the river ranunculus, an aquatic plant that looks similar to a daisy.

It also said that in June 2020, an unprecedented algal bloom stretched for more than 140 miles, almost the entire length of the river.

“We are working hard to restore the health and ecological status of the River Wye"

In response, a spokesperson from the Environment Agency said: “We are working hard to restore the health and ecological status of the River Wye – including through increased monitoring and increased farm visits focusing on high-risk locations and previously non-compliant businesses.

“Last year we received extra funding to undertake more inspections, and nationwide since April 1 2021 we have visited nearly 5,000 farms and required over 7,700 actions from farmers to address agricultural pollution.

“The Farming Rules for Water are one of a number of regulations we use as part of our advice-led regulatory approach with farmers, to protect water quality and nature.

"If we find pollution or significant risk of pollution occurring we will not hesitate to take further action – evidenced by the enforcement action taken against 140 farms this financial year.”

"This means that manure is allowed to flow into our waterways with impunity."

Ricardo Gama, an environment solicitor who is representing River Action, said: “The Farming Rules for Water were introduced in 2018 specifically to deal with the issue of agricultural pollution in rivers like the Wye.

“But from documents we’ve seen, it’s clear that the EA is choosing to apply the rules in a way that is inconsistent with their own interpretation of how the rules are supposed to work.

“This means that manure – essentially an industrial waste product from meat and dairy production – is allowed to flow into our waterways with impunity.

“Our client hopes this claim will force the EA to reassess their approach and start applying the rules properly.”