Aberystwyth Town Council has declared July the month of water action.

The Town Council is following through on its recent promises to step up for the health of the town’s waterways, launching the first Aberystwyth Blue Month.

There will be events throughout the month hosted by local businesses, academics, environmental groups and utility providers, focused on protecting the local coast and rivers.

One key event offers residents, surfers and swimmers the chance to bring their concerns to a meeting with Welsh Water (Dŵr Cymru) hosted by the town council on Saturday 11 July at Canolfan Arad Goch.

The session aims to establish a proactive, transparent working relationship with the water company.

It comes following three key motions passed by the council to protect the local waterways. Cllr Nishant Chandolia, who tabled the motions said: “An official council motion becomes more powerful with the force of the community behind it.

“Passing these three motions unanimously proves our local leadership stands entirely united.

“By declaring Mis y Dyfroedd (Month of the Waters), we are responding directly to our Environmental Emergency and tying our local infrastructure fight straight to our cultural heritage.

“We are bringing that political momentum onto our streets, rivers, and beaches to show Wales what a community-led environmental transition looks like.”

To bridge the gap between scientific research and the community, the council has partnered with Aberystwyth University’s Dialogue Centre to host a Town Dialogue event on Thursday 9 July- an evening of stories, conversation and ideas about the sea.

Programme of events:

o 9 July 6-8:15pm: Sea, Stories, and Stewardship: Town Dialogue at the Joseph Parry Building, Aberystwyth University

o 11 July 11-1:00pm: Public Water Quality Meeting with Dŵr Cymru at Arad Goch Theatre, Bath Street

o 19 July 10am: Aberystwyth Seafront Community Clean, celebrating one year of volunteer initiatives by AberOutdoors

o 23 July 6:30-8pm: Evening of Water Folk Tales with Peter Stevenson at Waterstones Aberystwyth, Great Darkgate Street

o 24 July 5pm: Rheidol Riverside Womble litter pick and mudlarking at the River Rheidol (meeting at Trefechan Bridge)