‘No worries yet’ but plan for drought is in place
HOW Wales would cope if water levels reached seriously low levels has been revealed as the heatwave continues.
Temperatures reached a record high of 32.6°C in Porthmadog at the end of June and the hot weather is continuing.
Despite demand for water increasing, with use in Wales reaching more than a billion litres a day, Welsh Water says it does not have concerns over current water levels.
Reservoirs across Wales have been pictured with low water levels, but these have not fallen to the point where Welsh Water’s Drought Plan would be enforced.
There were water restrictions during the heatwave and drought of 1976, when the Welsh National Water Development Authority announced that 400,000 people would have their water supply cut off at night.
It also ordered an end to washing cars and the watering of flower beds, tennis courts, bowling greens and golf courses.
A week later, Dennis Bowden, the water authority’s senior civil engineer, said the country could be facing a three-day working week.
Current managing director of Welsh Water Peter Perry said: “The water levels in our reservoirs are around where we would expect for the time of year and we don’t have concerns.
“But customers are using much more water and so we need to ensure we can get water to customers.
“Our staff are working day and night to help spot and repair leaks and using tankers to put extra water into the network.
“If you spot a leak, please let us know and be mindful of how much water you are using.
“While encouraging everyone to stay safe and drink water, we should always avoid wasting water.”
Around one billion litres of water, a 20% increase, is being added to the network each day by Welsh Water to ensure supply is continued.
The drought plan has three triggers meaning Wales is entering a time of drought, and the drought plan sets out what would happen in three scenarios.
If rainfall falls below “significantly dry month” levels for two months in a row”, however, there is a plan in place for Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales to start the drought plan, which would see a hosepipe ban introduced, followed by nonessential water-usage bans.
Welsh Water continuously monitors reservoir levels, which have marked points that would indicated a drought is going to develop, and if they drop below a certain level for that time of year the Drought Plan is initiated.
Increased demand, combined with weather forecasts for the coming weeks, could also trigger the plan.
Welsh Water could then restrict water use as a last resort.