'Raw sewage' enters Teifi via Cardigan town centre outflow

Today, some claim the river has become a fetid watercourse as raw sewage is being pumped into her on a regular basis from an outlet in the town centre.

Fresh calls are being made for Welsh Water to put their money where their mouths are and make long-overdue investments into restoring the Teifi to her former glory.

"The River Teifi should be our town’s jewel,” commented local resident, businesswoman and town councillor Philippa Noble.

“But instead, it’s being neglected and abused. And the biggest polluters are Welsh Water, and they admit it themselves.”

Ms Noble, who runs Cardigans Fishing Tackle shop, went on to say that a sewage outlet pipe near to the Red Lion slipway in St Mary’s Street regularly offloads raw sewage into the river.

Earlier this week she captured some images of the effluent as she walked along the riverside.

“When you look at everything this town has to offer, surely Welsh Water must realise that it’s time to act,” she continued.

“We have the beautiful award-winning Albion Hotel right on the banks of the Teifi, the Pizza-Tipi directly opposite and the fantastic Adventure Beyond which operates kayaking and canoeing expeditions for families and children.

"Surely we should be championing the river as being the icing on the cake. But instead we have to watch sewage flow into it on a regular basis.”

Last year Philippa Noble discovered a yong cygnet struggling in the water after it had been abandoned by its parents.

“It was lame and so with the help of the deputy mayor Olwen Davies and Adventure Beyond, we took it to the Tinkers Hill Sanctuary in Amroth," she said.

"Its nervous system had been so badly damaged that it unfortunately didn’t survive and the prognosis that was given was botulism as a result of what it had been feeding from in the river."

Philippa and the cygnet which she attempted to save last year (Image: Philippa Noble)

A report by Natural Resources Wales recently warned that salmon could completely disappear from Welsh rivers in the next few decades, with the Teifi being named as one of the worst affected rivers, along with the Rheidol.

Climate change is the most likely cause of a decline with changing ocean conditions resulting in poor marine survival, while higher river temperatures affects spawning and juvenile survival in many Welsh rivers.

But water and habitat quality also play a significant role in affecting fish numbers.

A dead salmon in the Teifi (Image: Tivyside Advertiser)

Meawnhile Ms Noble is urging people to lobby Welsh Water to improve the Teifi’s water quality.

“They’re benefitting from records profits years on year, but they’re not re-investing in finding solutions to the problem," she said.

“It’s important to hear from campaigners such as Save the Teifi, but one separate voice isn’t enough.

"We should all be uniting with one voice so I urge Save the Teifi, the town council, the county council and any other individual or organisation to join forces and demand prompt action.”