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About the programme
The WAMM programme was set up in 2011 to begin to clean up the 1,500km of English rivers polluted by abandoned metal mines. It is a partnership between the Environment Agency, the Coal Authority and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
In January 2023, Parliament approved new legally-binding targets under the Environment Act. One target is to halve the length of rivers polluted by abandoned metal mines by 2038. This strengthens existing commitments made in the Government's 25 Year Environment Plan and the statutory River Basin Management Plans.
The WAMM Programme currently operates four mine water treatment schemes with a fifth, opening in early 2024. The new Environment Act target means up to 40 new treatment schemes will be needed along with a similar number of diffuse interventions.
Some useful links: