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For three centuries, the Elias family has maintained a fishing tradition along the river, yet Keith Elias reported catching only a single fish this season. He expressed his connection to this longstanding heritage, but also admitted growing frustration: “It’s been in my family for so long, I love carrying the tradition on, but it’s getting to the point where you get to the end of the season and you’re not hitting fish. You just don’t want to go.”
Concerns over river pollution have escalated, particularly following last year’s designation of the nearby River Teifi as one of the UK’s most contaminated rivers, experiencing 2,232 wastewater spills totaling more than 22,000 hours during 2024. Reports have implicated Welsh Water in some of these incidents. In response, Welsh Water announced plans to allocate £889 million toward improving storm overflow infrastructure from 2025 to 2030. This ambitious investment includes six projects focused on lessening impacts on the River Tywi. The company emphasized the need for coordinated efforts beyond just water utilities, stating: “We are determined to play our part to improve river water quality on the Tywi, but this isn’t just an issue for water companies, collaboration is needed across sectors, including industry and agriculture, to ensure improvements.”
Locals have heightened awareness by sharing online videos that allegedly show polluted discharges into the Tywi, purportedly from the electronics recycling firm Mekatek, although the company holds a discharge license from Natural Resources Wales (NRW). Mekatek responded by acknowledging shared concerns regarding the decline in sewin populations. The company highlighted its commitment to environmental standards, noting it has spent over 40 years refining its processes to minimize impact. They invited stakeholders to visit their site for firsthand observation of their operations: “Anyone wishing to understand what we do and how well we do it is more than welcome to arrange to visit the site and view our operations for themselves.”
Political representatives and environmental officials have voiced their perspectives on the situation. Carmarthenshire MP Ann Davies, who is also a farmer, called for stricter measures against repeat offenders polluting the river and underscored collective accountability involving farmers, businesses, and the public. She remarked, “We have a collective responsibility on what we buy, what we flush down the toilet.” Meanwhile, Huwel Manley, the NRW’s head of south-west operations, acknowledged the Tywi faces multiple environmental challenges, including pollution and the effects of current dry weather, which increases water temperatures and strains aquatic ecosystems. He affirmed that NRW treats all pollution reports seriously and confirmed ongoing investigations, some of which could lead to court action. The Welsh government reiterated the Tywi’s ecological significance and cultural value, recognizing concerns about foam, odors, and discoloration have been investigated and linked to natural environmental factors. It also stated that inquiries into other potential pollution sources continue but declined further comment due to the ongoing nature of these investigations
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