Welsh Water thanks customers as reservoirs remain healthy despite driest spring in a century
Welsh Water thanks customers as reservoirs remain healthy despite driest spring in a century
Subscribe to the Businessin Wales daily newsletter for FREE here.
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has thanked customers for helping conserve supplies this summer after confirming that most of its reservoirs remain in a “healthy position” despite the driest spring in more than 100 years.
The water company said it has no plans to introduce hosepipe bans, even as four companies in England have imposed restrictions over the past fortnight.
“We’re thankful to everyone who has played their part by using a little less water and we’re asking customers to continue to do their bit. Even small changes can make a big difference,” said Ian Christie, Managing Director of Water Services at Welsh Water.
The company, which serves 1.4 million homes and businesses in Wales and parts of England, said it is currently repairing around 700 leaks every week across its network to maintain supplies. In Ceredigion – where a “Developing Drought” status was declared in June – teams have carried out 830 repairs over the past few months, while encouraging households to reduce demand.
Reservoir levels in Mid & South Ceredigion, which also covers parts of North Carmarthenshire and North Pembrokeshire, have improved slightly thanks to these efforts, but remain lower than usual. The Teifi Pools reservoirs, which supply the area, are 28% lower than this time last year.
“We are doing everything we can to avoid introducing restrictions. Our teams are working tirelessly to manage the situation, and we’re asking our customers to join us in using water responsibly. Every drop saved helps protect water supplies for the area,” Christie added.
While Welsh Water has increased the capacity of treatment works to cope with peak summer demand, the company is also expanding its Cartref team outreach in West Wales, carrying out nearly 500 household visits since April to identify leaky toilets and promote water efficiency.
The utility is continuing to work with businesses, Natural Resources Wales and Welsh Government to monitor conditions, which remain officially classed as “prolonged dry weather” in North West Wales.
“Whilst we might not need a hosepipe ban just yet, we are monitoring the situation closely,” Christie said. “We’ve also heard from lots of our customers who tell us that they have already made changes to reduce their water use to help protect the environment, which has been great to see.”
Want more from Businessin Wales? Why not follow us on our socials
Listen to the Businessin Wales podcast
