A group in Llanidloes has received funding to buy water testing kits.

Ffrindiau Afonydd Llanidloes Rivers’ Friends are delighted to receive funding of £2,005 from the Powys Nature Partnership to buy the kits.

Volunteers will test water quality on the rivers Severn, Clywedog and several of their tributaries, and log data onto a publicly accessible database over coming weeks and months.

The new water testing kits include common field tests for freshwater chemistry, including temperature, conductivity, pH, alkalinity, hardness, nitrates, and phosphates. Secchi discs will be used to monitor turbidity of the river water.

Ffrindiau Afonydd Llanidloes Rivers’ Friends is a new project of Zero Carbon Llanidloes Di-Garbon (ZCLIDG), an established local organisation, active since 2020, taking practical action to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies we are all facing.

ZCLIDG and the Rivers’ group have been supported by Llanidloes Town Council in their successful bid for a Local Places for Nature - Community Wildlife Grant managed by Powys County Council’s Powys Nature Partnership team.

Ffrindiau Afonydd Llanidloes Rivers’ Friends have a busy schedule of activities planned for spring and summer, including a celebration of Earth Day on 25 April at Severn Porte park in partnership with Compton’s Yard Charitable Trust (water testing kits will be on display on the day for those interested), walks and talks with The River Man, Dewi Roberts, and a closer look at our local rivers on World Rivers’ Day on 27 September which coincides with The Big River Watch organised biannually by The Rivers’ Trust.

You can keep up to date with future activities and volunteering opportunities on the Ffrindiau Afonydd Llanidloes Rivers’ Friends’ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/977567043737946/

The Ambassadors for Llanidloes Clean Rivers' project is funded by a Welsh Government Local Places for Nature programme, administered by WCVA and Powys County Council.