Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation

Contents Executive Summary

1. Introductory Information

1.1 Purpose and Scope of this Report 4

1.2 The Clear Streams Concept 4

1.3 Dŵr Cymru WFD Project Funding 5

1.4 Project Funding Applications 5

2. Project Report

2.1 Project Aims 6

2.2 Organisation and Resources 7

2.3 Project Activities 10

2.3.1 Engaging Local Businesses 10

2.3.2 Engaging Householders and Communities 12

2.3.3 Engaging Partners 20

2.4 Publicity and Marketing 21

3. Project Evaluation

3.1 Online Survey 23

3.2 Delivery of Outcomes and Objectives 25

3.3 Project Governance 27

3.4 Lessons Learnt and Recommendations 28

This report has been prepared by PMDevelopments

Executive Summary The Clear Streams Swansea project was an eighteen-month collaboration between Swansea Environmental Forum, the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and Natural Resources Wales. The project, funded by the Dŵr Cymru WFD Project Funding scheme, aimed to raise awareness of the water environment and improve water quality in the Swansea area. The project was part of, and built upon, a wider initiative developed by Environment Agency Wales, working in partnership with others to employ a holistic approach to managing water quality.

Two new officer posts were created to deliver the project and these were supported by a steering group comprising representatives of the three partner organisations. The Dŵr Cymru WFD Project Funding scheme provided £100,000 to the project with an additional £30,000 contributed by Environment Agency Wales (replaced by Natural Resources Wales).

The project sought to engage local businesses, householders and communities; and influence the agendas, priorities and strategies of other organisations in Swansea. Over 1,000 companies were contacted and over 200 were visited and provided with information and advice on water- related issues. A programme of 40 community events was organised and delivered by the project staff, who also attended several festivals and other larger events to promote the project and the water environment. 100 ponds and 140 water butts were distributed to householders and community groups to help them reduce surface water volume entering the sewer.

Information sheets and newsletters were produced to inform organisations and individuals about saving water, reducing pollution caused by blockages and misconnections, and using their water environment. A Clear Streams website and social media facilities were established and well used to share information about water-related issues, events, projects and organisations. Many new partnerships were established and developed with organisations, schools and community groups and over 700 individuals completed pledge cards to protect the water environment.

An online survey directed to individuals that had been engaged with the project provided very positive feedback and indicated that the project had influenced attitudes and behaviours. The project partners and many of the organisations, partnerships, projects and groups with which they have engaged during the project, have also been influenced. The profile of the water environment in Swansea and related water quality issues has been raised and an effective local focal point for information, advice and support has been established.

A number of innovative schemes emerged from the project including the Wales Water Weekend, the Tawe Kayak Safaris and the River Rangers Network, with additional funding received from other sources to support some of these. Resources have also been secured by the project partners to deliver practical schemes and research, and further resources are currently being sought, to ensure that the Clear Streams initiative and approach can be continued and that the focus on the water environment in Swansea is maintained and developed.

Whilst it would be difficult to measure the short-term impact of the project on the ecological status of local water bodies and the number of CSO discharges or pollution incidents, these are likely to be improved in the longer-term due to the better understanding of, increased interest in and involvement with, and the greater sense of ownership of the water environment experienced by those that have participated in the project.

Through the Clear Streams project, the Dŵr Cymru WFD Project Funding scheme has been shown to be an effective mechanism for encouraging and supporting third sector organisations to deliver WFD outcomes and this report recommends that it is continued.

“An excellent and progressive step forward in the protection of what are arguably some of our greatest (and undervalued) natural assets in Wales.” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014)

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 3

1. Introductory Information 1.1 Purpose and Scope of this Report In 2013, Swansea Environmental Forum and the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales collaborated on an eighteen-month initiative to raise awareness of and improve water quality in the Swansea area. The Clear Streams Swansea project, part of a wider initiative of the same name, was made possible through project funding from Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales.

This report focuses on the eighteen months of the collaborative project, funded by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, from July 2013 to December 2014, when specific project staff were employed by the partner organisations. It should be noted that due to the delayed appointment of the Wildlife Trust’s project officer, some elements of the project are due to continue beyond December but are not detailed in this report (see page 28 for a summary of these additional activities).

The report has two main purposes; to provide an overview of the project and to give an evaluation of the project. The provision of a project report and project evaluation were requirements of the grant funding from Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water but this report is intended to be a useful document for each of the key partners: offering a record of what was achieved with recommendations for future activity.

The report starts with an introduction to the concept and origins of the wider Clear Streams initiative and the Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water project funding. This is followed by the project report which lists the aims and objectives of the project; outlines each of the project activities, with a number of case studies; explains how the project, the staff and the finances were managed; and describes how the project and the activities were marketed and publicised.

The final section of this report provides an evaluation which reflects on the projects aims and objectives and the effectiveness of its governance arrangements. Recommendations are then given for the Clear Streams initiative and the Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water project funding scheme.

Information for this report was gathered from files provided by the project officers, through interviews with these officers and other staff from the project partner organisations and from a survey undertaken towards the end of the project period. The text in the case study sections, along with accompanying photographs and charts, were also provided by the project officers.

1.2 The Clear Streams Concept The Clear Streams concept was initiated by Environment Agency Wales (EAW) officers in Swansea as a means of addressing the Water Framework Directive (WFD) through an integrated or holistic approach to managing water quality – tackling pollution at source as well as driving forward a softer agenda aimed at raising people’s awareness of and sensitivity to the water environment. The Clear Streams concept and approach has been applied primarily within the Swansea area but also in Bridgend, and has now been adopted as a key delivery mechanism within Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and embedded in its business plan.

The overarching aim of Clear Streams in Swansea is to promote a healthier and cleaner water environment for the benefit of people, communities and wildlife. To deliver this, Clear Streams in Swansea has outlined five key objectives: 1. to protect and improve our water ecology and environment. 2. to reduce water pollution and improve water quality. 3. to reduce the impact of business on the environment and improve responsible use of sewers. 4. to embed water quality issues in strategies, plans and activities across Swansea. 5. to promote community ownership of our water environment.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 4 In 2012, EAW collaborated with Swansea Environmental Forum (SEF) to pilot a community engagement project – Digital Streams – under the banner of Clear Streams and part of the Sustainable Swansea initiative. Digital Streams combined site visits along the River Loughor with digital photography training to raise awareness and understanding of issues along the waterbody and inspire greater interest in the environment. The project was repeated in 2013, this time along the River Tawe, and in partnership with the newly established NRW. Both projects culminated in an exhibition of photographs taken by participants.

In 2013, a Clear Streams Swansea Award was included as one of the category in the prestigious Sustainable Swansea Awards scheme, helping to raise the profile of water quality issues and celebrate the good work of organisations and projects linked to the water environment.

Schools have also been engaged in Clear Streams activities including the Our River Project – delivered as part of Swansea Council’s Countryside Connections scheme in collaboration with Still Walks; and a river-based study programme delivered by Nature Days in collaboration with Swansea Environment Centre.

It was the success of these projects, and the continuing offers of support from NRW, that prompted SEF to seek funding to expand the initiative. NRW contributed £30,000 to support SEF’s application for a grant from the Dŵr Cymru WFD Project Funding.

1.3 Dŵr Cymru WFD Project Funding In 2012, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) made available £400,000 for a new funding scheme to encourage and support the third sector in delivering Water Framework Directive (WFD) outcomes in its supply area. The funding scheme was building on EAW’s funding initiative, which has two key objectives:  To fund ‘on the ground’ and ‘in the water’ projects that improve the ecology of the water environment.  To target water bodies or protected areas that are failing to reach objectives under the WFD. Applicants also needed to demonstrate how their project proposal would support DCWW operations or assets, deliver positive outcomes under the WFD and offer best value to the people and environment of Wales.

DCWW also encouraged the submission of joint proposals which combined the interests and capabilities of third sector organisations to improve environmental outcomes. The projects were expected to achieve credible outputs by no later than March 2015 and preferably within 12 months of the funding approval.

1.4 Project Funding Applications Though Swansea Environmental Forum (SEF) and the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WT) initially submitted separate project proposals, DCWW officers felt that there was sufficient overlap and shared aims to warrant them coming together and submitting a joint application.

SEF’s initial application, submitted towards the end of 2012 and called Clear Streams Means Business, included funding to coordinate and support the development of Clear Streams activities across the area; bringing organisations together to work more collaboratively and establishing Clear Streams branding; and also to develop business links and encourage business and industry to improve their impact on the water environment.

The WT’s project proposal was to improve the ecology of the water environment through community engagement activities within Swansea, including the installation of ponds and water butts; the provision of information and a programme of training and events. WTSWW had conducted a Garden Wildlife Survey in 2012 which was sent to households across Swansea. As well as asking about their gardens it also enquired about their attitude toward their water

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 5 environment by asking questions such as ‘What is the name of your nearest stream or river’ (which few people knew). This survey was the catalyst for the WTSWW application which aimed not only to meet the DCWW funding criteria but would also provide WTSWW with an opportunity to develop its work in the Swansea area to deliver more community based activities.

In response to prompting from DCWW, the organisations worked together, and with NRW, to prepare a revised joint application, with SEF taking on the role of lead partner. Whilst, on the whole, the joint application simply combined the two separate proposals, a key difference was the amalgamation of the two posts proposed by SEF into a single post. The joint application was approved in April 2013 with a grant of £100,000 from DCWW and funding of £30,000 from NRW.

2. Project Report 2.1 Project Aims The project proposal listed 5 outcomes (described as the actions that the project aimed to deliver) and 5 objectives (described as the ecological consequences of the outcomes).

The project outcomes provided in the project proposal were as follows: 1. Reduce sewage abuse. The project aims to directly assist businesses & householders in Swansea to minimise the impact of their activity on the water environment. The project will assist DCWW customers to reduce their impact on the sewer so reducing the pollution caused by blockages and third party sewage incidents. 2. The reduction of surface water volume that enters the sewer and therefore reduction in pollution events (less frequent CSO discharges). 3. Reducing number of misconnections. 4. Change people’s attitude and behaviours towards the water environment. This outcome will assist DCWW customers to minimise their impacts on the sewer network so reducing pollution caused by blockages and third party incidents. 5. The project will bring a strategically co-ordinated, informed and targeted focus on water quality and embed a commitment for improvement and maintenance with partners and sectors across Swansea. The project will be responsible for co-ordinating the wider clear streams initiative across Swansea with a broad range of voluntary, public, and business partners.

The specific project objectives were described as follows: 1. Contribute to an improvement in ecological status with the aim of reaching good ecological status within the project time period. 2. A reduction in pollution in general.  A reduction in the impact of DCWW sewer on the waterbody.  Improvement in ecological status.  An increase in the level of community action aimed at improving WFD status.  Improve water quality.  Reduction in pollution.  Less CSO discharges. 3. To reduce the impact of DCWW customers on the environment via pollution prevention and increase responsible use of sewerage system. 4. Embedding Water Quality issues and WFD across a broader range of strategies, plans & activities across Swansea. 5. Through community ownership the project will maintain ecological status and sustain that status into the future.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 6 The project proposal also included the aim ‘to take an integrated and holistic approach’ to managing water quality and tackling pollution by developing three key elements: 1. Working on the ground with targeted local businesses to raise awareness of their local working environment, their legal obligations and opportunities to reduce their environmental impact. This element will have an immediate positive environmental impact by reducing the impact of businesses on the water environment and sewage network, reduce blockages, reduce inappropriate items in drainage systems and identify/eliminate issues. This will be measured by regular water quality monitoring. 2. Working on the ground with householders & community groups to raise expectations and understanding of their local watercourses – how they can become involved in longer-term stewardship of the water environment and save money. 3. Working strategically with partners and across sectors to embed water quality improvement through a greater number of strategies & agendas. This will have a longer term impact and aims to keep water quality high on partners agenda beyond the life of the project.

These outcomes, objectives and elements were used to develop the general Clear Streams aim and objectives listed above in section 1.2. Whilst the project focused on the outcomes and objectives listed in the project proposal, the overarching aim and wider objectives of the Clear Streams initiative provided an important backdrop, particularly for the delivery of the coordination aspect of the project.

2.2 Organisation and Resources a) Project Partners The project was developed and delivered through a partnership between four organisations:  Swansea Environmental Forum (SEF): the strategic partnership for all aspects of the natural and built environment in Swansea which promotes and facilitates environmental sustainability. SEF is a partnership of public, voluntary and private sector organisations. It manages the Swansea Environment Strategy and several community engagement initiatives.  Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WT): a charity which manages over 80 reserves across the region and is part of a movement of 47 trusts in the UK which aim to promote an environment rich in wildlife for everyone.  Natural Resources Wales (NRW): a Welsh Government sponsored body whose purpose is to ensure that the natural resources of Wales are sustainably maintained, enhanced and used, now and in the future.  Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW): one of the ten regulated water and sewerage companies in England and Wales with responsible for providing over three million people with drinking water and for taking, treating and disposing of wastewater.

A project steering group was established to develop, support and guide the project delivery. This group involved the two Clear Streams project officers, their line managers within SEF and WTSWW respectively, and two officers from NRW. The group met several times (every two or three months) throughout the project period and was chaired by an NRW officer.

EAW/NRW contributed £30,000 funding to the project but also provided a significant amount of in-kind support through officer time. DCWW provided £100,000 grant and also provided information resources and guidance. SEF was the lead partner in the funding application to DCWW and was therefore responsible for claiming and managing the finances and collating and submitting quarterly reports for DCWW.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 7 b) Project Funding Most of the project funding of £130,000 was allocated to the employment of two officers for an eighteen month period to deliver the project’s activities (see details of staff roles below). The salary costs amounted to over half the budget, at approx. £74,000, with other staff-related costs, such as recruitment, management, accommodation, travel expenses, equipment and training allocated approx. £41,000. Project costs, such as the purchase of ponds and water butts, event costs and publicity was allocated £12,000 and the remaining £3,000 was for project evaluation.

Over the course of the project, a few adjustments were made to the budgets. For example, more was allocated to the purchase of water butts with less being spent on publicity and staff travel expenses.

Additional funding was secured by the project officers for additional activities: almost £2,000 was secured from Starbucks Youth Action towards the Tawe Kayak Safari scheme and £6,400 was obtained from Tidy Towns to support the River Rangers scheme. c) Project Staff The project involved the employment of two full-time officers which were recruited separately by the two delivery partners.

The Clear Streams Coordinator was employed and managed by the Environment Centre on behalf of SEF as part of an ongoing service level agreement. The Environment Centre Manager line managed this post on a day-to-day basis. The Clear Streams Coordinator attended and presented project reports to the SEF Executive Committee and also sent project reports to the Environment Centre Board meetings.

The overall purpose and focus of the Clear Streams Coordinator post, as advertised, was to enhance and develop the Clear Streams Swansea initiative and to ensure that all partners are kept involved and informed about each others activities. The Coordinator was also expected to have an outreach role, working to engage local businesses and organisations in the water management agenda.

More specific responsibilities of the Clear Streams Coordinator included:  Champion water related issues and projects in Swansea and maximise opportunities for projects in Swansea to share good practice.  Develop a close working relationship with partner organisations and ensure their close engagement with and commitment to the project.  Collect, collate and disseminate information on water management issues and opportunities to support carbon reduction activities and low carbon projects.  Develop and implement a communications strategy to publicise the project to a wider audience.  Develop project branding materials.  Develop a robust monitoring and evaluation system for the project that meets the requirements of partners and funding organisations.  Provide project updates and financial reports as required by funding bodies, the project steering group and partner organisations.  Secure funding to support the continuation of Clear Streams Swansea’s various project elements, and Swansea Environmental Forum’s other activities and events that promote and support the local environmental sustainability.  Represent Clear Streams Swansea at local and regional meetings and events.  Promote water saving and good sewerage management to local businesses, particularly in the Swansea Enterprise Park.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 8  Work closely with other partners working on Clear Streams branded projects and organise meetings and opportunities to facilitate collaboration and sharing of resources.  Work with partners in the region to ensure appropriate and complementary delivery of environmental sustainability objectives for the area.

The Water for Wildlife Officer was employed by the WTSWW and line-managed by their Conservation Manager. The two Clear Streams staff shared an office at the Environment Centre but the Water for Wildlife Officer also had a base at the WTSWW offices in Tondu and spent much time there.

The overall purpose of the post was to engage with and inspire local communities about their water environment; in particular the role people can play in protecting local waterbodies and the wildlife they support.

More specific responsibilities of the Water for Wildlife Officer included:  Work in partnership with the ‘Clear Streams’ initiative to champion water related issues and projects in Swansea and to maximise opportunities to promote and share good practice.  Work closely with partner organisations to develop complimentary projects, information and resources.  Engage with and encourage volunteers and community groups to take part in conservation activities, such as surveys and work parties.  Represent WTSWW and the ‘Clear Streams’ initiative when advising and communicating to local groups and communities, partner organisations and members of the public.  Establish and implement a programme of educational events and activities (guided walks, talks, training and demonstrations) for local communities within targeted catchments.  Develop and train key volunteers and groups to help undertake water conservation measures and further the projects objectives.  Implement a communications strategy to publicise the project to a wider audience.

The Clear Streams Coordinator was employed from mid-July 2013 to the end of December 2014 and the Water for Wildlife Officer was employed from mid-August 2013 and will continue in post to the end of February 2015.

Both staff worked closely with and benefitted from the support of colleagues in their respective organisations and NRW staff. Both also had the support and help of volunteers.

“Since starting the project we have been well supported by Rhiannon who is amazingly enthusiastic and it has rubbed off onto us!” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014)

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 9 2.3 Project Activities This section of the report is arranged to reflect the three key elements, and main audience groups, listed above in 2.1: local businesses; householders and communities; and partners.

2.3.1 Engaging Local Businesses

Business engagement activities were primarily delivered by the Clear Streams Coordinator. By accessing the Swansea Business Directory and business surveys of local industrial estates from Swansea Council, companies in 8 target areas of Swansea were identified – within Llansamlet, Garngoch, Fforestfach and the city centre. An initial contact letter was sent to 825 companies in these areas and then an email sent to invite them to participate in a workshop on water issues. There were only two responses to these communications. An invite was subsequently sent to third sector organisations too (taking the total number of emails sent to almost 2,000) but with only about 5 replies from this, the workshop was cancelled.

Due to the poor response from businesses to letters and emails, it was decided that greater focus should be placed on visiting premises. In total, visits were undertaken to 245 companies, the majority being in Llansamlet focus area and many in the city centre. The Clear Streams Coordinator researched the type of business before visiting in order to be able to offer relevant information on water efficiency and pollution prevention. Most companies were involved in retail and warehousing and the most appropriate information provided related to the disposal of fats, oils and grease, and the Stop the Block campaign. Some companies required more specific information. For example, Morganite were interested in investing in water reuse. During most visits, Hippo bags were offered to reduce water use in toilets within the businesses. A total of 28 bags were handed out during these visits.

The Clear Streams Coordinator assessed the response of 159 companies to the visits and presented this in the first pie chart below. This suggests that over a third responded positively to the visit. The companies visited were asked whether they had water efficiency measures (such as automated urinal technology, dual flush toilets or grey water use) or pollution prevention systems in place (such as oil capture or grease traps). The second pie chart shows the findings for visits to 163 companies. This was spilt roughly equally between those that had measures in place and those that hadn’t, with a slightly larger number where information was not available.

Businesses response to Clear Stream Visit Water Efficency/Pollution Prevention System in Place

5% 7% Very Postive 9%

postive

32%

38% No 38% neutral Yes Information not available 41% Negative

Very Negative 30%

Towards the end of the project, the Clear Streams Coordinator revisited approx. 50 businesses and recorded whether they appeared to have changed their behaviour. It was noted that some that were previously demonstrating bad practice suggested that they had changed.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 10

A number of businesses were targeted to become local water champions. Five companies were identified – LUSH, Tesco’s Llansamlet Store, HSBC, Virgin Media and Admiral Insurance. Of these, a closer working relationship was only developed with Lush (see case study below).

The Water for Wildlife Officer also targeted businesses in the Llansamlet Enterprise Park for a bat walk around the Fendrod Lake. An invitation to participate in the event was emailed to the businesses in the area that were on the initial contact list used by the Clear Streams Coordinator. Some posters were also pinned up in the area but these were removed. Employees from five local businesses joined the event – though one of these was from a business outside the enterprise park but had heard about the event from a friend working in the enterprise park. The Water for Wildlife Officer maintained contact with one of the businesses and is collaborating with the company director to establish an action group within Swansea Docks where the company is now located.

Case Study 1: The Wales Water Weekend

The Clear Streams Coordinator began working with local businesses within Swansea to try encourage businesses to help improve their local water environment. After visiting 245 local businesses, 5 water champions were selected, one of which was LUSH.

Working with the manager of Swansea store, the Coordinator developed an event to run within the Swansea store over the weekend of 5th and 6th July 2014. After several meetings, it was decided to take the event across all the LUSH stores in Wales (Swansea, Cardiff and Carmarthen).

The Coordinator gathered the most effective collection of materials on the water environment of Wales in collaboration with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Natural Resource Wales and the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales to. Information on Stop the Block, misconnection and what pollution looks like were placed into Hippo Bags. These were then provided to the Welsh stores to be given to their customers throughout the Wales Water Weekend event.

The Coordinator attended two of the stores during the weekend running quizzes and providing information to customers about their local water environment. The event was very well received and the Swansea store manager was very impressed with the level of engagement that was attained.

A total of 600 Hippo bags containing leaflets were given out over the weekend and, in the Swansea store, over 45 individuals take part in the quizzes.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 11 2.3.2 Engaging Householders and Communities a) Information Provision The provision of information, in printed form and online, played a key role in increasing awareness and understanding of water issues leading to changes in attitude and behaviour. This included the production of information sheets and newsletters, establishing a Clear Streams website and social media accounts, and making use of existing websites, social media outlets and publications.

The Water for Wildlife Officer produced information sheets on misconnections and CSOs, and a guide to types of water pollution, which were handed out at events and made available online.

A Water for Wildlife newsletter was also initiated and four editions published in 2014 (January, April, June and October). These featured a mix of articles relating to water wildlife, water issues and events. It was emailed to Wildlife Trust’s members and to those that provided email addresses at events, on pledge cards and on receipt of a pond or water butt, eventually reaching over a 1,000 people on the email list. The earlier editions were also made available on the Clear Streams website but when the format of the newsletter changed, this was no longer possible.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 12

Resources produced through other schemes and campaigns, such as Stop the Block, were also used and distributed by Clear Streams officers. Information on the DCWW surface water rebate system and on ways to report incidents to NRW were also provided to businesses and at events. Several pollution incidents were reported through or as a result of the Clear Streams project.

The Clear Streams website was developed by the Clear Streams Coordinator with contributions for the WTSWW and NRW. It includes an overview of Clear Streams with its mission statement, background information and details of the various elements of the project. There is information on how different organisations and groups of people can get involved with the project and their water environment, and how they can save water and take action to deal with pollution incidents. There is a section on water wildlife and listings of local water-related groups and events. (More on use of websites and social media is outlined in the below publicity and marketing section).

“I attended a walk with the water for wildlife officer and signed up to the water for wildlife newsletter which lead me to the Clear Streams website. I found the website very informative.” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014) b) Pledge Scheme The Wildlife Trust established a pledge system encouraging individuals to commit to at least one action to support the water environment. The pledge cards listed 4 set actions plus an ‘other’ section where respondents could add an action of their own. They were handed out events and when ponds and water butts were being distributed. In total, over 700 pledge cards were completed but as the pledger kept the main section of their pledge card – just the contact details were given to the WTSWW – no analysis was possible of which options were chosen.

c) Events and Talks The Water for Wildlife Officer organised a programme of 40 events from September 2013 to November 2014. Most of these involved a walk along a waterbody preceded by a short talk (often a Powerpoint presentation) about the waterbody and related issues. The events generally had an ecological theme e.g. bats, moths, birds, fish, though there were also four work party events e.g. balsam bashing or seeding activities. The events took place in five catchments across the Swansea area: 12 along the Clyne, 4 around the Fendrod Lake, 4 in Penllergare Valley Woods along the Llan, 5 along the Swansea Canal and 15 around the Tawe and/or along Swansea Bay. Two events were cancelled, and one other was curtailed, due to poor weather.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 13 In total, 357 participated in these events: an average of about 10 at each event. The most successful event, in terms of turn out, was a Bats & Moths walk in Penllergare Valley Woods in May 2014 involving 42 participants. Events along the Swansea Canal were also well attended.

“I had a lovely and very informative day out on a walk as part of clear streams event. Cant wait for next time.” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014)

Events were promoted through the Clear Streams and Wildlife Trust Facebook pages, in the WTSWW newsletter and publications such as the Environmental Events Swansea leaflet. As mentioned above, one event was targeted at businesses in the Fendrod area, with limited success – though it was well attended, only five were from local businesses. At most events, information on water quality issues were handed out – the pollution recognition poster proved particularly popular.

Case Study 2: Bat and Moth Walk

Most of the walks organised by the Water for Wildlife Officer has centred around wildlife present on Swansea’s waterways. The standard formula for these events involved a preliminary talk about the watercourse in a community hub close to where the walk was taking place. This included providing information about the watercourse’s ecological status and the pollution issues affecting it – presented graphically with maps – and also the relationship between the target species and the waterway. Bat and Moth events held on waterways have proved extremely popular and have been held to raise awareness of the relationship between bats and clean waterways. The Bat and Moth Night held alongside the Swansea Canal on 31st May attracted 16 local people. The accompanying talk took place in the Clydach Heritage Centre. Some events such as this resulted in a report of pollution being directly made as it was seen by walk attendees during the event.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 14 “A very worthwhile and educational scheme. Covers things that most people don't realise are pollutant potentials. The lead on the walk was very knowledgeable, approachable and enthusiastic of her subject.” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014)

In addition to talks incorporated into events, the Water for Wildlife Officer gave several indoor presentations to various groups including Swansea University Conservation Ecology Society (where 30 Hippo bags were also handed out), Rhyd y Fro Gardening Club, the Wildlife Trust West Glamorgan Group and Merched y Wawr (Welsh women’s group). The WTSWW Conservation Manager (standing in for the Water for Wildlife Officer) gave a presentation on the Clear Streams project to the Swansea Biodiversity Partnership.

The Clear Streams Coordinator organised a Tawe Walk as part of the Gower Walking Festival and a snorkelling event as part of the Love Your Countryside Festival (though this had to be cancelled due to poor weather). The Coordinator also gave numerous talks and presentations e.g. at the Environment Centre AGM in October 2014 and to students at the Go Green Week in the University of Wales Trinity St.David.

Clear Streams officers also attended a number of larger events and festivals arranged by other organisations or projects. Key examples were:  Bae Fest: a one-day festival in July 2013 organised by Swansea Council’s Special Events Team. Several staff from NRW collaborated with the two Clear Streams officers to provide a large interactive area with information stands, games and working models to engage visitors on water issues. Approx. 2,000 people attended the event and 70 Hippo bags were given out.

 Green Fayre: an annual two-day event organised by the Environment Centre and held in the National Waterfront Museum. The Clear Streams Coordinator and the Water for Wildlife Officer had separate stands at the event in both 2013 and 2014 with information and activities relating to water issues. The attendances for each years exceeded 3,0000 and 45 Hippo bags were handed out at the 2013 Fayre.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 15  Gower Show: The Clear Streams Coordinator had a small stand with a water wildlife game at this event in August 2014.  Love Your Countryside Gower Hub Day: the largest event in a two-week festival in September, organised by Swansea Council’s Nature Conservation Team as part of the Countryside Connection project. The Clear Streams Coordinator and NRW staff had an interactive stand and gave out 67 Hippo bags and information on water issues. It is estimated that 600 attended this event.

d) Schools and Young People A variety of activities have taken place with schools as part of Clear Streams Swansea. These included the Water for Wildlife Officer giving a talk to pupils and helping with a pond installation at Craig Cefn Parc Primary School and in Gors Community School; installing a pond and supporting an Eco-day at Townhill Community School; meeting pupils in Clase Community School to discuss habitat creation; leading a visit to Parc Slip Nature Reserve by Waun Wen Primary School; and helping to install water butts at Daniel James Community School.

The Clear Streams Coordinator was invited by Swansea Environmental Educational Forum to give run workshops on the water environment and present awards at the Swansea Sustainable Schools Scheme Awards with over one hundred pupils attending from schools across Swansea.

One of the most innovative and successful young people’s activities that emerged from the Clear Streams project was the Tawe Kayak Safaris. This scheme was separately funded by a grant from Starbuck Youth Action but was supported by the Clear Streams Coordinator. An overview of the scheme is given as a case study below. Following the 6 sessions undertaken as part of this scheme, a further Safari was organised in partnership with the NRW’s Come Outside project staff which involved 10 participants.

“It is a very good way of making people more aware of the importance of caring for our waterways.” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014)

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 16

Case Study 3: Tawe Kayak Safaris

The Clear Streams Coordinator worked with a volunteer on the concept of connecting young people in Swansea to their water environment and water-related issues through water sports activity. It was decided that kayaking gave the best opportunity to explore while at the same time giving leaders the chance to educate on the water.

Funding was received from Starbuck Youth Action after the volunteer attended various presentations and workshops. Just under £2,000 was awarded to take 60 individuals aged 16 to 24 years, up the River Tawe as far as the tidal limit. Along the way the groups learnt about the history of the River Tawe, including the Hafod Copperworks, about modern-day issues that the river faces such as misconnection, and about the wildlife it supports. They learnt this while at the same time get really connected to the river. After each session, the participants went to the Environment Centre for a workshop on the issues they had experienced on the river.

To recruit participants, Clear Streams used a variety of methods including flyers and Facebook advertising. Individuals were required to complete a sign-up form which also asked how they had heard about the activity. Results from this showed that Facebook advertising and word-of-mouth proved to be the most effective ways of communication, with leaflets being the least effective.

There were 6 Kayak Safaris and though all 60 places where filled, there were a few no- shows. All participants were asked to provide feedback from the session. Of the 56 young people that took part in the Tawe Kayak Safaris, the majority stated that they were ‘very likely’ to reduce their future impacts on the water environment and 100% said that they would recommend the Safaris to a friend.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 17 e) Ponds and Water Butts A key aspect of the project that was organised by the Water for Wildlife Officer was the provision and installation of ponds and water butts. In total, 100 ponds and 140 water butts were distributed to at least 115 different households or community sites – this was probably be significantly higher but full details were not available on the distribution of water butts supplied to Swansea University. In most cases, the ponds and/or butts were delivered by the Water for Wildlife Officer for installation by the recipient but the Water for Wildlife Officer was directly involved in installation at about 20 locations.

Most ponds and water butts were provided to households but 7 community garden sites also received ponds and/or water butts. Many recipients had both a pond and a water butt and several had more than one water butt. Demand for water butts was greater than for ponds and though the original intention was to supply 100 of each, a further 40 water butts were supplied.

Over 70 signed up for a pond or water butt at the Water Awareness event at Swansea University. An email was sent around the campus ahead of this event to staff and students and over 200 expressed an interest. Celebrity ecologist, Iolo Williams, popped in to support the event. 40 water butts were subsequently delivered to the University’s Sustainability Team for distribution.

An information pack and a pledge card were provided to all recipients of ponds and water butts. If the householder was not in when the items were delivered to homes, then the pond or butt was placed in a pre-arranged safe location at the property and the information and pledge card were posted through their letterbox.

In October and November 2014, the Water for Wildlife Officer started to contact individuals that had received a pond to find out how they were getting on. At the time of writing this report, 18 had replied with positive comments, and arrangements are being put in place to install camera traps in some of the ponds to capture images and video footage of the wildlife.

“We installed the pond we got through Clear Streams and watching the wildlife that has been attracted to it has been a great source of entertainment and discussion in our household. The information given out alongside it was really informative. We also loved the video that was put up on the Facebook page of wildlife using another one of the ponds.” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014)

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 18 f) Action Groups The Clear Streams project has sought to encourage engagement with the water environment through existing and new action groups. Many of the events were undertaken in partnership with or for the benefit of existing groups such as Swansea Canal Society and the Penllergare Trust. A new task group has been initiated to explore the potential use of the derelict engine shed on the Morfa Hafod Copperworks site as a water activity centre. Another new action group is also being established for the Swansea Marina and Swansea Docks area. Perhaps the most successful action group established is the River Rangers Network outlined in the case study below.

Case Study 4: River Rangers Network

In the Summer 2014, Clear Streams successfully secured in a £6,200 grant from the Welsh Government Tidy Towns scheme to create a River Rangers Network for the River Tawe (downstream from the M4). The scheme involved recruiting local people to become rangers for an allocated stretch of the Tawe. Volunteers were trained to a high standard by suitably qualified professionals in the identification of key wildlife species, invasive waterway plants, pollution recognition and reporting. The rangers were provided with PPE such as waterproofs and wellies and were given binoculars, weather writers to survey the river from the bank, and GPS systems to accurately record any wildlife or pollution they wanted to report.

Rangers survey the river once every few weeks or more and report back conditions using a standardised survey form. They report pollution incidents directly to Welsh Water or NRW, depending on the nature of the incident. So far, over 100 new wildlife records have been generated for the local records centre and 6 pollution incidents have been reported. Rangers have also been conducting litter picks and clear-ups along their stretches of the river, and are involved with lobbying the local council to improve litter disposal facilities along the Tawe.

Rangers keep in touch and up-to-date with what is happening on other patches of the river via the River Rangers Network monthly newsletter, where key events are collated and distributed between volunteers. Volunteers also meet up with each other and the Water for Wildlife Officer every few months to socialise and exchange information about the river.

In January 2015, five River Rangers will be enrolling on a ‘River Restoration’ course, accredited by Agored. This course has been put together by a variety of stakeholders including NRW, Groundwork and the Clear Streams Water for Wildlife Officer, and the volunteers will be amongst the first to undertake the course, as a result of their involvement with the River Rangers project in Swansea. There have been many requests to replicate the scheme on many other rivers both inside and outside the Swansea area.

“The River Rangers initiative was much better than I anticipated and has definitely encouraged me to become more involved in local wildlife and restoration schemes.” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014)

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 19 “I have a much better understanding of water management since becoming a River Ranger.” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014)

2.3.3 Engaging Partners

A key aspect of the Clear Streams Coordinator role was to work strategically with partners, both within the project itself and across the area more generally, to build a coordinated and collaborative approach to water-related activity and to help embed water quality improvement within organisations. Many of the awareness-raising and practical activities undertaken by both officers contributed to this but it was also more directly addressed by officers attending meetings with organisations and partnerships and seeking to influence agendas and priorities.

Hundreds of businesses were contacted and dozens of community organisations and schools were engaged through talks and events, or the provision of ponds and water butts. Many events were undertaken in collaboration with other organisations and groups. For example, the Water for Wildlife Officer established strong relationships with Swansea Canal Society and Penllergare Trust in the organisation of events and with Swansea University in the distribution of ponds and water butts; and the Clears Streams Coordinator established a good relationship with Lush leading to the Wales Water Weekend event, and with Swansea Youth Service and the Swansea Watersport Centre in organising the Tawe Kayak Safaris.

The Clears Streams Coordinator represented SEF and Clear Streams at Tidal Lagoon events and hearings, and submitted consultation responses. He also attended, and often took an active part in, Swansea Bay Fisheries Local Action Group meetings, Low Carbon Swansea partners networking events, the Swansea Misconnections Partnership meetings, local business breakfasts and SEF seminars to help raise water quality issues and facilitate the exchange of information, ideas and good practice. Positive outcomes include: following a Low Carbon Swansea meeting, setting up a link-up between the fire service and DCWW and at a SEF AGM, prompting the Council’s Housing Department and a local housing association to meet with NRW to discuss water issues.

The Clears Streams Coordinator supported the development and implementation of initiatives being delivered by other organisations under the Clear Streams banner. For example, helping Sustainable Swansea with the Digital Streams exhibition and supporting a volunteer to develop and deliver the Tawe Kayak Safaris. He also assisted SEF in preparing funding applications for Clear Streams initiatives such as the Accessibility and User Study as part of the NRW Tawe Catchment Pilot which will assess the recreational service provided by the River Tawe.

The partner organisations themselves have been strongly influenced by the project and are making water issues a higher priority in their work. This is demonstrated by both SEF and WTSWW seeking funding to continue various Clear Streams initiatives and NRW have embedded the Clear Streams approach into their corporate plan and make a specific reference to Clear Streams in their grants criteria.

“It is a great initiative getting community members involved in looking after the environment giving training and awareness of what amazing habitats and species we have in Swansea and giving practical ideas and actions to get involved in protecting our waterways. The project should however be rolled out on a much larger scale working with many more people.” (respondent to Monkey Survey December 2014)

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 20 2.4 Publicity and Marketing As Clear Streams was an awareness-raising and community engagement project, effective publicity and marketing were essential. The provision of information about Clear Streams and the branding of the project were key elements of the project. As outlined above, the staff produced information sheets and newsletters – most of which had Clear Streams branding. Promotional materials in the form of posters and flyers were also produced to advertise specific events, activities and competitions e.g. the Tawe Kayak Safaris and the logo competition.

a) Logo Competition In October 2013, the Clear Streams Coordinator ran an open competition to design a logo for the Clear Streams project. As well as a means to develop branding for Clear Streams, the competition provided a mechanism for raising awareness of the project and the issues it was dealing with. A total of 13 entries were received from various age groups and locations. The entries were posted on social media and had a reach of over 3,000 people. Over 300 individuals took part in a vote to choose the best design.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 21 A Clear Streams project logo was developed from the winning design and then used on promotional materials.

b) Websites and Social Media The Clear Streams website has had close to 900 visitors since it went live on the 1st December 2013. On average, two pages are visited each time and people spend 2 minutes on the site. As Google Analytics has recently adjusted what is classified as a visitor, it appears that the number of visitors has dropped. However, the number of page visits is still climbing. Other websites have also been used to promote Clears Streams activities and issues; most notably the WTSWW website.

The Clear Streams Coordinator developed and maintained an active Clear Streams presence on social media, sharing information on misconnections, sewer abuse, water wildlife, etc. and promoting water-related activity on a regular basis. The Clear Streams Facebook page has had over 430 likes and a reach of approx. 150,000 overall. Most posts result in 60+ engagements.

The Clear Streams Twitter page has 170 followers and there have been well over 1,000 tweets. There have also been a large number of retweets, from partner organisations such as WT, Canal Rivers Trust and the Marine Conservation Society and from notable figures such as Iolo Williams and Chris Packham – there was even a retweet from the Antarctic.

A key engagement approach used on Facebook and Twitter has been regular thematic postings and photo competitions such as Mammal Monday, Waterbird Wednesday, Herpy Thursday and Fish Friday. The Clear Streams Coordinator has made use of several hashtags: #clear_streams has been used about 100 times; there have been around 50 posts using #waterbirdwednesday and #fishfriday has had almost 14,000 posts. The hashtag #waterywalkstowork was used in a very successful twitter campaign and led to the response from the Antarctic.

The Clears Streams Instagram account has 46 followers and there have been a handful of posts, including some used to report pollution incidents. c) Press and Media Several articles were produced during the project. For example, the Clear Streams Coordinator released an article regarding the Tawe Kayak Safari and the importance of the Clear Streams project. During the very wet period in 2014, an article was submitted to The South Wales Evening Post about CSOs, which also appeared in several local magazines.

The Water for Wildlife Officer has been interviewed on BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio Wales (twice) to inform the public about sewer abuse and how people can help solve the problem. The officer has also appeared on the S4C programme Gwylltio, focusing on freshwater wildlife and has been on BBC Radio 5 Live discussing the Tidal Lagoon proposals.

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3. Project Evaluation This assessment of the project is based on evidence gathered from information provided by the project officers; interviews undertaken with the project officers and representatives from Swansea Environmental Forum the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and Natural Resources Wales; and from an online survey undertaken towards the end of the project period.

3.1 Online Survey A short online survey (SurveyMonkey) was conducted over a 13-day period from 28th November to 9th December 2014. It was aimed at those that had been engaged in the project and so was posted on the Clear Streams website and Facebook page, and emailed to the Water for Wildlife newsletter circulation list. There were 25 respondents, over half of whom responded on the first day of the survey. Whilst the number of respondents was relatively small, the survey does provide a useful indication of the project’s success and did prompt some useful comments.

The first of the three questions asked which Clear Streams activities the respondent had been involved with. A list of 10 activities or services was given, plus a ‘none of these’ option and an ‘Other (please specify)’ option. Respondents were asked to select all that applied to them.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 23 The most popular answers were: 16 respondents (64%) had read the Water for Wildlife newsletter, 12 (48%) had attended an event and 10 (40%) had visited the website. Eight respondents (32%) indicated that they had installed a pond and/or water butt and the same number had reported a pollution incident. Seven had joined the River Rangers scheme and the same number had joined Facebook. Five had followed Clear Streams on Twitter and the same number had installed a Hippo bag. Four respondents said they had filled in a pledge card and two respondents chose ‘Other’: one saying that they had a wildlife camera sited in their pond for a fortnight and the other stated that they had delivered some of the River Ranger training.

Most respondents chose three or four options (mean average 3.28) with three respondents indicating that they had interacted in six different ways and two in just one activity.

The second question listed 11 statements about the impact of the Clear Streams project on the respondent and asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed with each statement. 23 respondents (92%) strongly agreed with the statement “I have a greater interest in the local water environment” with the other two respondents tending to agree. 22 (88%) strongly agreed with the statement “I am more aware of ways I can avoid polluting water” with the rest tending to agree. 21 respondents (84%) strongly agreed with the statement “I am more aware of local waterbodies” with the same number for “I am more aware of what shouldn’t be put down drains” – in both cases, the remaining four tended to agree.

neither strongly tend to tend to strongly agree nor agree agree disagree disagree disagree I have a better understanding of the local water 80% (20) 20% (5) 0% 0% 0% environment I am more aware of local waterbodies (streams, rivers, 84% (21) 16% (4) 0% 0% 0% ponds, etc.) I have a greater interest in 92% (23) 8% (2) 0% 0% 0% the local water environment I am more likely to do things in or related to the water 80% (20) 16% (4) 4% (1) 0% 0% environment I am more aware of ways in 68% (17) 24% 6) 8%(2) 0% 0% which I can save water I am more aware of ways I 88% (22) 12% (3) 0% 0% 0% can avoid polluting water I understand more about 80% (21) 12% (3) 8% (2) 0% 0% misconnections I am more aware of what 84% (21) 16%(4) 0% 0% 0% shouldn’t be put down drains I am more aware of how to report water pollution 80% (20) 12% (3) 8% (2) 0% 0% incidents I am more likely to report 80% (20) 16% (4) 4% (1) 0% 0% water pollution when I spot it I am likely to encourage others to care about the 80% (20) 20% (5) 0% 0% 0% water environment

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 24

80% strongly agreed with the remaining statements and in each case, most of the remaining respondents chose the ‘tend to agree’ option. Just 17 (68%) respondents strongly agreed with the statement “I am more aware of ways in which I can save water” with 6 (24%) tending to agree and two saying they neither agreed or disagreed. One or two respondents also stated that they neither agreed or disagreed with the statements “I am more likely to report water pollution when I spot it”, “I am more aware of how to report water pollution incidents”, “I understand more about misconnections” and “I am more likely to do things in or related to the water environment”.

The final question in the survey offered respondents an opportunity to add comments on the Clear Streams initiative – 18 of the 25 respondents took the opportunity, and all were positive in their comments. Six (33%) used the word informative, five (28%) referred to the protection of the environment or natural assets, two referred to pond installations and two to the River Rangers scheme. Some of the comments given by respondents have been included in the project report.

3.2 Delivery of Outcomes and Objectives The project outcomes, objectives and targets were very ambitious. It had also been proposed that the success of these would be measured through an improvement in ecological status of local water bodies, a reduction in CSO discharges and a reduction in pollution. Data for these measures was not collected or monitored as part of the project or provided for the project evaluation. However, partners acknowledged that had there been a discernable improvement (or decline) in any of these indicators it would have been too difficult to relate such change directly to the actions of the project. In the evaluation interviews with partners, there was consensus that the project had definitely contributed to these, and each of the project outcomes and objectives.

Outcome 1: Reduce sewage abuse The project clearly provided useful information, advice and practical assistance to a significant number of businesses and householders to help them minimise the impact of their activity on the water environment.

The target of visiting 225 businesses to give site specific advice and guidance was exceeded, as was the target to give a further 600 businesses the opportunity to get information on water- related issues. However, the focus on reaching these high numbers, rather than higher quality interactions with fewer businesses, meant that the impact is likely to have been limited for most of those contacted. This was reflected in the very poor response to the invitation to a breakfast seminar. It became clear that cold calling doesn’t work well for many businesses and that a more innovative approach is needed. It was often difficult to access the right person in the business, particularly before the project branding was established. The site visits do appear to have yielded some useful outcomes but the results of the second visits – where many could not recall the first visit, or where different staff were contacted – illustrated the difficulty in establishing effective contact with businesses.

The target of communicating with 600 households about key messages of misconnections, sewer abuse, pollution reporting etc is a little more difficult to calculate and evaluate. This was delivered through events, the newsletter and the installation projects. The Water for Wildlife Officer recorded well over 800 individuals at walks, talks and school activities and a significantly higher number at larger events organised by others e.g. festivals, where Clear Streams had a presence. Ponds and water butts were distributed to over 100 households (and probably a significantly higher number as Swansea University distributed 40 water butts but the final destinations of these was not known at the time of writing this report). At each of these events and activities, information was provided and conversations had on water-related issues. The Water for Wildlife newsletter was distributed to over 1,000 individuals. Whilst it is not really possible to obtain an overall figure for the number of communications (avoiding repeat communications) or to assess the level of impact of these communications, the figures would certainly suggest that the target of 600 households has been well exceeded.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 25 Outcome 2: Reduce surface water volume entering the sewer The provision of ponds, water butts and Hippo bags clearly encouraged water savings and the reduction of surface water entering the sewer. Assuming most of the resources provided were actually installed and maintained, there was a potential of a significant impact. The Clear Streams Coordinator calculated that if the 900 Hippos bags distributed as part of the project were installed and used, there would be an annual saving of 16 megalitres of water.

WTSWW staff were cautious about trying to calculate diversion rates for ponds and butts based on assumed use, not wishing o overestimate and misrepresent the impact of the butts. However, it might be reasonable to estimate that the butts could result in an annual saving of 70,000 litres (based on 140 x 100litre butts being emptied and refilled on at least five occasions each year). Whilst it may be difficult to measure the direct impact on the frequency of CSO discharges, it would follow that a reduction in clean water entering the sewer system would also lead to a reduction in pollution events.

The target was to reduce the surface water going to the sewer from a minimum of 150 properties based on the order of 100 butts and 100 ponds. Whilst the total number of ponds distributed was achieved and the total number of water butts distributed was exceeded, it is unclear whether these were distributed to at least 150 different properties – many recipients had more than one water butt and the list of final destinations was not available for all the items. However, as over different 100 properties were identifiable, and several recipients were redistributing to more than one property, it seems likely that the target will have been achieved or only narrowly missed.

It was noted that there was less interest in receiving a pond than a water butt as there was a greater lack of confidence about pond installation; concerns about its impact on the garden and danger to children; and worry about not having enough space or what to do with displaced soil. The greater interest in water butts was demonstrated by the demand exceeding availability leading to the number distributed being extended from 100 to 140.

Outcome 3: Reduce number of misconnections Information on misconnections was distributed to hundreds of organisations and individuals and posted online for potential access by thousands of people.

Project staff were able to point to the identification of misconnections during, and as a consequence of, the project, including at two local schools. NRW staff also suggested that people exposed to the Clear Streams project would be have a different attitude when approached about misconnections and indeed be more likely to report pollution, and would better understand increases water charges.

Outcome 4: Change people’s attitude and behaviours towards the water environment The provision of information through Clear Streams will have had some impact on people’s attitude to the water environment and, though it is not possible to measure the level of impact, this is likely to have altered some behaviours to some degree. With greater awareness of the issues and the ways to deal with them, people are better equipped to minimise their impacts on the sewer network and so reduce pollution caused by blockages and third party incidents, etc.

Those that were more actively engaged in the project through events, installation schemes and other activities were more likely to be affected. The community events and the River Rangers scheme will have helped to develop a sense of community ownership of the local water environment. During the project, several pollution incidents and misconnections were reported by the project staff, the river rangers and others, that would not necessarily have been reported otherwise. 13 incidents were reported via Clear Streams social media (10 on Facebook and 3 by Instagram) and all passed on to NRW and resolved. The fact that the resolutions were also posted on social media reinforced to the public that they can have a positive impact on the water environment and support DCWW and NRW in their work.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 26 The online survey clearly demonstrated that where individuals were actively engaged with the project most declared an increased understanding and that they were more likely to take positive actions to improve water quality.

Outcome 5: A strategically co-ordinated, informed and targeted focus on water quality The Clears Streams project, the Clear Streams Coordinator and the Clear Streams online presence has clearly become established a key focal point for water-related information and activity in the Swansea area. The online survey also demonstrated that those engaged in one water-related activity, as part of Clear Streams, were likely to then engage in another activity e.g. having attended an event, a person then accessed the website for further information.

There is evidence that pre-existing Clear Streams projects and other water-related initiatives were supported and/or enhanced through the project and several new projects were established as a consequence of it. There is a definite intention to maintain and build on the initiative – both SEF and WTSWW reported that they have a commitment to continue the campaign and both have already secured funding to undertake follow-up projects. SEF has incorporated the coordination of Clear Streams into its application to NRW for core funding in 2015/16.

Opportunities were certainly taken during the Clear Streams project to raise the profile of water- related issues within partnerships, projects and organisations in Swansea. Water quality was pushed up the agenda with a number of key organisations such as Swansea University and Lush, and groups that already had an interest in the water environment, such as Swansea Canal Society, Swansea Watersports and FLAG, had there perspectives on water issues widened. The impact of raising the profile of the water environment, and whether the profile can be maintained, remains unclear but the commitment from partners to continue Clear Streams would suggest that this could be positive.

Project objectives, such as an improvement in ecological status, were long-term goals and so whilst it might be legitimately suggested that the project did contribute to them, it is not possible (or appropriate) to attempt to evidence these. The comments above, relating to the project outcomes, provide examples of the contribution that the project made to reducing pollution in general, increasing the level of community action, reducing the impact of DCWW customers on the environment, increasing responsible use of sewerage system, embedding water quality issues across strategies, plans and activities in Swansea, and, through community ownership, helping to sustain good ecological status of local water bodies into the future.

3.3 Project Governance The two project delivery partners are well-established and experienced organisations with organisational structures in place to enable them to manage projects effectively. However, as the two organisations had been required to work together on a joint project at relatively short notice, they did experience some difficulties in terms of communication and understanding of each other’s perspectives and approach. The establishment of a project steering group, involving representatives of both organisations and NRW officers, was very useful in helping to resolve some of these issues, as well as providing support and direction for the project.

It had been agreed that SEF would take the lead and be the main point of contact for the project and that both officers would be based in the Environment Centre so they could work closely together. However, the management of the two members of staff was retained by their respective employing organisations and whilst the Clear Streams Coordinator was expected to play an overarching role, there was no line management link between the two. This created some tensions and practical difficulties, particularly as the two organisations had different approaches and views on the Clear Streams concept and the way it should be presented and delivered. SEF and NRW viewed the branding of the project as more important than the identity of the individual partners but WTSWW clearly saw it as a campaign being support by the organisations and were reluctant to allow the Clear Streams branding to take precedence over WTSWW branding on materials they produced or events they organised.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 27

Another notable difficulty was that the Water for Wildlife Officer’s line manager was based in the WTSWW offices in Tondu and so, although she spent most of her time delivering the project in Swansea, the officer found it more useful to utilise office resources in Tondu where she was able to meet her line manager on a regular basis. This resulted in the two officers working separately for much of the time. Nevertheless, though it could be argued that the impact of the project may have been greater had there been closer collaboration and more joint working, the two organisations did develop a constructive working relationship over the course of the project and delivered what was intended.

The DCWW project funding was provided to SEF on a quarterly basis in line with an agreed release schedule of staged payments. Though it was intended that these would be advance payments, the timing of submissions and administration of the funding requests resulted in payments being received by SEF several weeks into the quarter. WTSWW would receive payment for their expenditure shortly after SEF received payment from DCWW. The delay did not have detrimental impact on either of the partner organisations as SEF was able to draw on the EAW/NRW funding and WTSWW is a large enough organisation to accommodate this.

The Clear Streams Coordinator presented regular project reports to the SEF Executive Committee and the Environment Centre Board. He was also responsible for preparing quarterly project reports and financial reports for DCWW which incorporated information from monthly reports provided by WT. These reports were comprehensive and were produced in a timely manner throughout the project period.

Of the £130,000 project budget, there is a small underspend of £2,500 from the EAW/NRW funding contribution, which SEF will carry forward to support further Clear Streams work in 2015. WTSWW have claimed all of their allocated funding, which includes continuing the Water for Wildlife Officer post in January and February 2015 when it is expected they will organise more water-themed events; produce another Water for Wildlife newsletter; support the River Rangers on a river restoration course; support the Friends of Swansea Docks group and the Clyne Valley Community Partnership; work with the Penderry Project on community events around waterways; and produce additional guides on misconnections, water pollution, etc.

3.4 Lessons Learnt and Recommendations The project officers and representatives from WT, SEF and NRW were interviewed as part of the project evaluation and were asked to suggest lessons they had learnt from the project. Here are some of the observations and suggestions they made:  Project partners need to be selected careful – ideally by choice rather than being forced together – and sufficient time is needed to ensure a clarity of roles and expectations and that the project is fully developed and practicalities considered.  The application was submitted with high aspirations but when working on the ground some aspects were found to be difficult or impractical to deliver.  SEF needed more dedicated management time to support the Coordinator.  There needed to be a clearer shared vision about what Clear Streams is and who owns the concept and branding.  It may have been better to have had more organisations involved in the project and the steering group.  It was difficult to obtain baseline data from NRW and DCWW.  To have greater impact with businesses, it may have been better to focus on a smaller area and to set-up a presence in the area.  Businesses and organisations had less interest in saving money than expected.

Clear Streams Swansea (2013/14) Project Report and Evaluation – 08/01/2015 28  Less time was spent on the business aspect because it didn’t really work well – more attention was given to the development roles of the Coordinator post including project development, media campaigns, funding applications, supporting Digital Streams and responding to the Tidal Lagoon consultations.  Treating people as selfish humans is not a bad thing – making them aware of the benefits they can gain from the project and the water environment.  Branding/marketing was an important aspect of the project and all activities needed to be clearly done under the Clear Streams banner but it is also important to understand partners’ views on issues such as branding.  Through the project, partner organisations and others learnt more about using social media and this has been useful for other projects.  It was useful to have a strong water quality voice within SEF and at SEF Executive meetings.  Eighteen months is a short time to affect real change in attitudes and behaviours and have an impact on ecological status, etc.  The project demonstrated that DCWW is willing to support alternative approaches to improve the environment and reduce pollution without requiring heavy use of their branding.  The Clear Streams approach (holistic / focused on ecosystems services) works well and allows actions to be taken beyond regulation – things which the regulator can’t do, but can give their backing and support.  The project provided a foundation for and promoted discussion about the NRW Ecosystems Services Tawe trial.  The project provided stepping stones to future and a great starting point but there is much further to go

Taking these comments into consideration and the wider findings of the evaluation, the following recommendations are made:

1. The Dŵr Cymru Water Framework Directive Funding scheme is an effective mechanism for encouraging and supporting third sector organisations to deliver WFD outcomes and should be continued or extended.

2. The funding scheme could explicitly promote the Clear Streams and/or Ecosystems Services approaches to better align with NRW objectives.

3. The use of the terms ‘outcome’ and ‘objective’ in the project proposal form should be reviewed – an outcome usually refers to the long-term result/impact of actions rather than the actions themselves.

4. In order to have a measurable impact, projects should generally be for at least 2 years.

5. If applicants are required to combine project proposals and submit a joint funding application, sufficient time and additional resource should be made available to ensure that the collaboration is effective.

6. The system of advance payments should continue to ensure that third sector organisations are able to meet project costs.

7. NRW and SEF should ensure that the scope of the Clear Streams concept/approach is well defines and ownership of the Clear Streams branding should be clarified.

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