Drought leaves family high and very, very dry
A FAMILY have been forced into buying bottled water and filling jerry cans after their water supply dried up.
Llinos Roberts, pictured, lives with her husband Evan and three children in an idyllic spot on the northern slopes of Snowdon, overlooking Llyn Padarn.
The stone-built house relies on a private water supply which regularly freezes in winter and dries up in summer. Often the water is unfit to use because of bugs and parasites.
Llinos, 40, said Dŵr Cymru were going to bring a container of water to the property.
“This would have been great but they called back later and said, because we are not connected to the water supply, we aren’t getting it. We would have to pay for that but I don’t have the money.
“I feel as if we’ve been forgotten. I feel so isolated and I can’t carry on like this any more.”
The family fear that unless a water supply is connected soon the situation may affect their health. They are already considering selling the property, which has been Llinos’ home for more than 16 years.
“We’ve approached Dŵr Cymru who have said joining the mains supply is doable but they haven’t told us how much it would cost. Even submitting an application will cost us more than £90.
“We understand we could do the work ourselves but we’d have to dig trenches, possibly through rock, and lay pipes to the nearest connection, which we believe is a kilometre away. A pump of some sort will also be needed to bring the water into the house,” she added.
Until then, even the simplest things are difficult for the family, which includes son Owain, 21, daughters Elin, 15, and Enid, seven, along with two dogs and two cats.
During the current hot spell, Llinos and her family have been buying four or five five litre bottles of water each day. They have been visiting other family members to wash themselves and their clothes.
They will meet with Arfon AM Sian Gwenllian later this month to see if there is any more they can do to resolve the situation.
A Welsh Water spokesperson said: “We have received an enquiry to connect the property to our water network and have provided the necessary guidance on how to obtain a new connection.
“We are yet to receive a completed application for the property but, once it is received, we will, of course, process it as quickly as possible.”
A Gwynedd Council spokesman confirmed the householders have received appropriate advice.
“Officers of the Council’s Environmental Health service have also contacted Dŵr Cymru on the householders’ behalf to request a temporary supply of water.”