Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has warned that it is likely to introduce a ‘hosepipe ban’ this weekend across Mid and South Ceredigion, together with parts of North Pembrokeshire and North Carmarthenshire, unless exceptionally high water demand reduces over the coming days.

The company says prolonged hot, dry weather has driven demand for drinking water to unprecedented levels, with around one billion litres of water being put into supply every day during the past week – around 20% more than would normally be expected at this time of year.

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.

Unlike the short-lived peaks normally experienced during warm weather, demand has remained exceptionally high throughout the day and into the evening for several weeks. The water company said the sustained demand is placing increasing pressure on the local water supply network.

Increased numbers of holiday makers and visitors to the area as the summer holiday season begins are expected to add further pressure to the local network. 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.

To maintain supplies, Welsh Water has already taken extensive action. Water treatment works are operating at maximum capacity, additional water is being moved around the network wherever possible, local service reservoirs (underground storage tanks) are being kept as full as possible, hundreds of frontline colleagues have been working around the clock repairing leaks and maintaining supplies, and the company’s entire tanker fleet continues to support areas experiencing pressure.

Despite the measures, demand continues to exceed what can be sustainably treated and supplied during the busiest periods of the day. As a result, local service reservoirs are being depleted faster than they can be replenished.

Unless demand reduces significantly over the next few days, Welsh Water says it is likely to have no option but to introduce temporary hosepipe restrictions this weekend to protect essential water supplies and reduce the risk of customers experiencing low water pressure or interruptions to supply.

Any restrictions would be a short-term emergency measure, introduced only in the affected area and only for as long as the current period of exceptionally high demand continues. They would be lifted as soon as weather conditions improve and local storage returns to more normal levels.

Kit Wilson, Welsh Water’s Chief Customer Officer, said:

“This is not a decision we want to take, but we must act in the interests of all our customers. There is still an opportunity to avoid these restrictions if everyone plays their part by reducing non-essential water use now. Every litre saved will help us keep taps flowing for homes, businesses and essential services across the affected area.”