Water quality project to tackle agricultural pollution launches

A project to improve the water quality in rivers and reduce the amount of pollution from agriculture draining into streams has been launched.

Earlier this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Environment Agency and the Welsh Assembly government announced the establishment of the Demonstration Test Catchments project.

This has been designed to understand how pollutants from agriculture move through river systems in order to improve the water quality of rivers and fields.

Minister of state for agriculture and food Jim Paice said: "Most rivers are at risk from agricultural pollution and one in five currently do not reach the required quality standards, so this hugely important research will help farmers make the right decisions."

He added that the initiative will encourage them to reduce their "environmental footprint".

River catchments in Cumbria, Norfolk and Hampshire Avon will be the first areas monitored in the project.

Earlier this month, the Environment Agency told farmers in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones not to spread slurry over their land after October 15th 2010 in an attempt to reduce the amount of nitrates found in nearby rivers as the result of agriculture.

Posted by Claire Manning