Mon & Brec saved for now

THE FEARS THAT the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal would run dry have been resolved.

Welsh Water, which had been demanding a £1m payment a year from Canal & River Trust to continue to take water from the Usk has been resolved, Janet Friend reports.

Reached an agreement

The two parties have reached an agreement on costs which will ensure supply for the coming year, but talks on a longer term solution are still continuing.

The petition calling for the preservation of the canal has already gathered nearly 12,000 by this morning, Monday, which means it will be considered for debate in the Senedd.  This has had an effect as a spokesman for Welsh Water explained:

“We are pleased to have come to an agreement to support the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal that covers the cost of providing the water and doesn’t incur additional costs for our customers or put at risk the supply of drinking water over the summer.

“We will continue to work closely with the Canal & River Trust, Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government on a longer-term solution that can support the canal beyond the coming year.”

Water supply in doubt

The supply of water to the canal has been in doubt after the trust, known in Wales as Glandwr Cymru, lost an appeal in December against restrictions in its licence, from Natural Resources Wales, to take or extract water from the Usk.

And though the water, taken at Brecon, is returned to the river at Pontymoile, Pontypool via the Afon Llwyd, its extraction could caused damage to the river which has the highest form of protection as a special area of conservation due to low water levels.

So a long term agreement must be resolved, to keep the waterway open with water from the Usk.