The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) Cymru, has written to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, Llyr Gruffydd MS, asking him to make an urgent statement on the emerging water shortage crisis on farms across Wales, due to the pre-longed hot weather.

CLA Cymru represents over 3,000 members across Wales, representing 11 million acres, and works tirelessly to protect and shape the future of Wales’ rural landscape.

From Welsh agriculture and the regeneration of the rural economy to improving the Welsh planning system, CLA Cymru engages with members at the Senedd and at Westminster to help shape policy.

In the letter, Victoria Bond, CLA Cymru Director, says: “The availability of water on farms across Wales is now a real issue for many farms and an emergency is developing that requires urgent attention.

“Over recent weeks, CLA Cymru has spoken to many members and farmers during the agricultural show season. This story is being relayed to us time and time again. In fact, one CLA Cymru officer has a family farm which is reliant on spring water, and they have absolutely no access to water at all. This demonstrates that this is a serious and real issue.

“Those farms, mainly farmhouses, that are on mains water supplies are less affected. However, most farms do not have mains access when it comes to meeting their livestock water needs. Those who rely on tanked water for field use are telling us that supplies are dangerously low, or that they have already run dry. Farmers are also telling us that they do not want a situation where desperate farmers are gaining illegal access to their land to gather water from streams and rivers on their land.

“While overall, as reported by the water companies, supplies across the country remain adequate at around 80% of capacity, getting practical access to this supply is a major challenge for farmers.

“There are both human and livestock issues at play. No one wants to see dead and seriously unwell animals across the fields of Wales and while the human impact must take primacy, the impact on animals must also be a major priority.

“I therefore urge you to make an urgent statement on this emerging emergency as soon as possible. It would be very helpful to have a guidance note on who farmers can contact to access water if they have none. Every hour now counts. A coordinated response must be put in place without delay.”