Residents and business owners living near to the River Wye in Monmouthshire say they are growing angry at what they call the constant state of the watercourse, but agencies responsible for its health have said images sent to them are nothing to worry about. Residents who form part of the Friends of the Lower Wye group took various pictures of what they thought was sewage which had risen to the surface of the river this week, but officers for Natural Resources Wales [NRW] say it is a mixture of algae and bacteria.
Members of the Wye group are among many worried about the state of the Wye and levels of phosphates in the river. Algae is a key indicator of phosphates present and the Wye has seen rising levels of algal blooms and decreasing wildlife for years.
It is understood that an increase in intensive poultry farming and dumping near the river has led to pesticides used in the practice running off into the water and effectively choking the river and wildlife. The Environment Agency [EA] which oversees the upkeep of England’s rivers released its own reports suggesting sources of pollution in the Wye come predominantly from agriculture (64%).
