Dŵr Cymru has confirmed it is to introduce a hosepipe ban which will affect 33,000 properties in west Wales.

The water company is to introduce the ban from 10am on Sunday for mid and south Ceredigion, along with north Pembrokeshire and north Carmarthenshire.

Welsh Water says reservoir levels remain healthy but it has taken the decision following a prolonged period of exceptionally high demand for drinking water, 20 per cent above normal levels.

The area’s water supply is part of a single water supply zone served by two water treatment works.

The affected area covers around 33,000 properties, stretching from Llanon, Llangwyryfon and Cwm Ystwyth in Ceredigion, across to Crymych, Llanfyrnach and Nevern in north Pembrokeshire, and into parts of north Carmarthenshire, including Farmers, Pencader and Hermon.

Welsh Water
The ban will be lifted when demand drops, Welsh Water says (Welsh Water)

Customers can check whether their property is affected by using the postcode checker on the Welsh Water website.

In a statement, Welsh Water said: “While water resources and reservoir levels remain healthy, the challenge is producing, treating, storing and moving enough drinking water through the network quickly enough to meet this exceptional level of demand.

“The Temporary Use Ban is a short-term emergency measure designed to reduce non-essential water use, protect local storage levels and help ensure reliable water supplies continue for homes, businesses and essential services.

“It applies only to the affected area and will be lifted as soon as weather conditions improve, and local storage returns to sustainable levels.”

Kit Wilson, Welsh Water’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “This has not been an easy decision, and we fully appreciate that these temporary restrictions will disappoint some customers, particularly during a period of warm weather. However, after several weeks of unprecedented demand, they have become necessary to help protect essential water supplies.

“Our teams have been working around the clock by increasing production, moving water around our network, deploying our tanker fleet and repairing leaks as quickly as possible. Every available operational measure has already been taken to maintain supplies.

“These restrictions are a temporary emergency measure and will remain in place only for as long as they are needed. We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and support. By reducing non-essential water use, everyone can help protect supplies and reduce the risk of further disruption.”

Under the Temporary Use Ban, customers must not use a hosepipe to:

water a garden using a hosepipe

clean a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe;

water plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe;

clean a private leisure boat using a hosepipe;

fill or maintain a domestic swimming or paddling pool;

draw water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use;

fill or maintain a domestic pond using a hosepipe;

fill or maintain an ornamental fountain;

clean walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe;

clean paths or patios using a hosepipe;

clean other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe.

Welsh Water will continue to monitor demand and weather conditions closely. The restrictions will remain in place only for as long as they are necessary to protect essential water supplies and will be removed as soon as demand returns to sustainable levels.