Amroth pollution reported by Llanteg and Amroth Renaturing Community

A one-year water quality study of a stream that feeds into a popular tourist village's bay identified ‘widespread pollution’ from 268 water quality tests.

Five pollution incidents were reported to Natural Resources Wales, and ‘high levels’ of nitrates and phosphates were found in the stream in Amroth.

'Widespread issue'

“Findings indicate a widespread issue, likely stemming from diverse sources such as private sewage plants, slurry runoff from intensive dairy farming, and pollution incidents from residential and commercial properties,” said the Llanteg and Amroth Renaturing Community (LARC).

LARC is a dedicated community group committed to environmental stewardship in South Pembrokeshire

It initiated the study in 2022 because of the importance of the watercourse, known as the New Inn stream, to the local eco-system and tourism industry.

The group is set to release its Keep The Streams Clean project report following its water quality study on the stream.

Amroth beach. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography)

Public meeting

It coincides with a public meeting organised by Amroth Community Council on Tuesday February 20 to address concerns about deteriorating water quality in Carmarthen Bay off Amroth and Wisemans Bridge.

The meeting will feature presentations from Welsh Water, Pembrokeshire County Council Environmental Health, and Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

Key findings

Key findings from the Keep The Streams Clean project include:

• Over 268 water quality tests conducted by volunteers, revealing widespread pollution along the entire stream network;

• Identification and reporting of five pollution incidents to Natural Resources Wales, highlighting the urgent need for action.

• High levels of nitrates and phosphate exceeding recommended thresholds, indicative of severe nutrient pollution.

Phosphates

A spokesman for the group added: “Indeed, only two per cent of water samples tested for nitrates and 20 per cent of samples tested for phosphates would have been classified as clean water according to accepted criteria“.

Although ammonia values were generally low, there were a small number of times when ammonia levels toxic to aquatic life were recorded by the team, occasionally breaching national thresholds.

The spokesman added: "The report reveals concerning levels of nitrate, phosphate, and ammonia pollution along the entire stream.

'Community problem'

The report stated: "The poor quality of the river at the New Inn is a community problem, and we are all culpable in large and small ways. Pointing fingers won't solve the issue; instead, we must collectively seek solutions and adopt practices that prioritize environmental sensitivity." 

LARC has also recently started to monitor the streams that flow through the Colby estate with the full support of the National Trust. As with the New Inn project, it is intended to undertake this analysis over a 12 month period.

The report concludes with a series of recommendations and encourages community members to engage in conversations about water quality.

LARC hopes the report will inspire similar initiatives and foster a sense of responsibility for local environmental issues.

Sponsorship

The KTSC project has been sponsored bv The Fishmongers Company through the Small Grants Scheme of their Fisheries Charitable Trust.

The trust's fisheries director, Andrew Wallace, said: "We are incredibly proud to have supported the Keep the Streams Clean Project.

"This report shows what a determined and enthusiastic group of citizens can achieve to enhance the quality of their local waterways."