FUNDING OF £500,000 YEARLY has been secured to secure the future of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.
This will be from the Welsh government and the Canal & River Trust that have agreed to contribute half a million pounds annually, for five years, to make sure the water supply to the canal remains constant.
Money will be shared
The promised money will be shared as up to £400,000 will be provided by the Welsh government every year sustaining the water supply, with Canal & River Trust spending £100,000 annually.
Huw Irranca-Davies, the deputy first minister with responsibility for climate change, explained:
"The money would provide the space to develop long-term resilience for this precious waterway."
The 35 miles long waterway runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park, boasting of an estimated three million visitors every year.
1,000 jobs
It is claimed that 1,000 jobs rely on the the waterway which contributes £30m to the Welsh economy.
The water supply came under threat this spring and summer because of limits placed on how much water could be taken from the, environmentally sensitive, River Usk.
It is told that earlier this year, approximately £5m was spent refurbishing the Manorafon pumping station and securing the water supply until spring 2026.