Welsh Water has also provided an update on when customers will be able to drink tap water again
15:18, 25 May 2026Updated 07:35, 26 May 2026
Welsh Water provided an update after people in Rhondda Cynon Taf were told not to drink tap water(Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)
Thousands of homes will receive compensation after they were told not to drink tap water during a heatwave, Welsh Water has said. A “boil water notice” was issued for a large part of Rhondda Cynon Taf on Friday after an issue was identified “with the chemical process” used to treat drinking water.
The water company said people should boil tap water before drinking, cooking or brushing their teeth as a result of the issue. Bottled water stations were set up across the county to provide residents with water in the midst of a heatwave, as Wales saw its hottest May day on record.
On Monday afternoon, the organisation confirmed that the boil water notice was being lifted in a “phased approach”. It has already been lifted in some areas, and Welsh Water said it aims for all customers to be told they can drink tap water again by Wednesday evening.
The organisation also confirmed that households affected by the boil notice will be entitled to compensation.
Household customers will receive £40 once the notice has been in place for 48 hours, with a further £20 for every additional 24 hours after that. Non-household customers will receive £60 once the notice has been in place for 48 hours, with a further £40 for every additional 24 hours after that. It will be paid automatically.
Welsh Water said it aims to make payments within 10 working days, normally by direct bank transfer or as a credit to the account where appropriate. Where it does not hold bank details, payment may be made by cheque and can take longer. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter
Welsh Water said the boil water notice has been lifted with immediate effect for customers in the following communities:
Zone 1 – Penrhys, Maerdy, Blaenllechau, Pontygwaith, Stanleytown, Tylorstown, Ferndale, Wattstown, Ynyshir, Ystrad.
Customers in the following areas should continue to boil tap water until further notice:
Zone 2 – Trehafod, Llwyncelyn, Graig, Treforest, Pwllgwaun, Hopkinstown, Pontypridd. Welsh Water said it hopes to lift the boil water notice in these areas by 6pm on Tuesday, May 26Zone 3 – Trebanog, Tonyrefail, Penrhiwfer, Cymmer, Williamstown, Porth, Tonypandy, Glynfach. Welsh Water said it hopes to lift the boil water notice in these areas by 6pm on Wednesday, May 27
Customers can check whether they are affected by using the postcode checker on our website at dwrcymru.com.
These phased lifting of restrictions reflect the different positions of each area in the network and how long it takes for fully treated water to replace the water already in the system, Welsh Water said.
Welsh Water Chief Operating Officer Steve Wilson said: “We are adopting a phased approach to lifting the boil water notice so that restrictions can be removed as soon as it is safe to do so in each part of the network, rather than waiting for every area to clear at the same time.
“Water moves gradually through this network, largely by gravity, meaning some communities receive refreshed treated water sooner than others.
“Before lifting the notice in any zone, we are carrying out extensive sampling, testing and network flushing to ensure water quality meets the high standards our customers expect. Protecting public health has been our priority throughout this incident and we will continue to update customers as this phased process progresses.
“Our bottled water stations will remain open for as long as they are needed and we would like to thank customers for their continued patience and understanding. We recognise the significant disruption and inconvenience this incident has caused, particularly during the current period of hot weather, and we are sorry for the impact on customers and communities.”
More information is available at dwrcymru.com, including details of the compensation for customers.
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