Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has thanked customers across mid and south Ceredigion, north Pembrokeshire and north Carmarthenshire for reducing their water use following the introduction of a Temporary Hosepipe Ban.

The company says customers’ support has made a real difference, with a reduction of around 15% in demand for water across the mid and south Ceredigion network. Levels in the underground storage tanks (or service reservoirs) are beginning to recover after several weeks of unprecedented demand. However, while the situation has improved, the water company is warning that storage has not yet recovered sufficiently for the restrictions to be lifted safely.

Welsh Water said the Temporary Hosepipe Ban will therefore remain in place while the company continues to rebuild resilience within the local network and protect water supplies for homes, businesses and essential services.

Although temperatures have eased since the peak of the recent hot weather, demand remains higher than normal, and it will take time for the extensive network of underground service reservoirs that store treated drinking water across the network to recover to sustainable levels. The reservoirs are critical to maintaining reliable supplies, particularly during periods of high demand.

Water treatment works continue to operate at a higher capacity than usual, with teams working around the clock to maintain supplies, repair leaks and carefully manage the network. During July we have repaired more than 226 leaks across the affected area.

Across Welsh Water’s operating area the utility supplied a record 1,000 megalitres of drinking water for 10 consecutive days – an unprecedented operational effort to keep customers supplied while local storage recovers.

Steve Wilson, Welsh Water’s Chief Operations Officer, said:

“I would like to thank everyone who has supported us by reducing their water use over the past fortnight. Customers have responded very positively, and their efforts are making a difference.

“We have seen local storage levels begin to recover since introducing the Temporary Hosepipe Ban, which shows that the restrictions are having the intended effect. However, those storage levels have not yet recovered enough for us to remove the restrictions without risking a return to the supply issues we were experiencing.

“We know customers want the Temporary Hosepipe Ban lifted as soon as possible – and so do we. We will remove it at the earliest opportunity, but only when we are confident local storage has recovered sufficiently to maintain reliable supplies for everyone.

Welsh Water will continue to monitor demand, weather conditions and storage levels on a daily basis. The Temporary Use Ban will remain in place only for as long as necessary and will be lifted as soon as local storage has recovered to sustainable levels.