Rhydyfelin flood scheme given £1.3m boost
The Welsh government has agreed to award £1.3m towards a flood prevention scheme in Rhydyfelin, near Pontypridd.
The cash will go to the £3m project to prevent repeat flooding around the Glyntaf Farm estate and Sycamore Street.
Since 1993, about 100 homes have been hit by flood waters.
The new scheme will improve protection for about 280 residential properties, Heol y Celyn Primary School, and the Taff Trail cycle route.
Andrew Morgan, Rhondda Cynon Taf council's cabinet member for emergency planning, welcomed the extra funding.
"This part of Rhydyfelin has suffered from flooding for many years and I am very pleased that the council has been able to secure money from the Welsh government for action to address this," he said.
"The council is delighted that the project has now been given the green light and we look forward to seeing all the improvements that this scheme will bring to the area."
The Welsh government funding comes on top of £200,000 it has already put into the project, and a further £1.4m in European grants.
The council estimates that the affected area is hit by flooding around once every four years.
The last major flooding in June 2009 saw more than a dozen people forced into emergency accommodation while a clean-up took place.
Announcing the extra cash for the flood scheme, the environment minister John Griffiths said: "One in six properties in Wales is currently at risk of flooding, with flooding estimated to cause in the region of £200m of damage each year.
"We recognise that as the climate changes causing more intense rainfall and higher sea levels, flood and coastal erosion risk is set to increase significantly over time."