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<\/p>\nWelsh Water has warned a hosepipe ban is likely for parts of Wales this weekend due to heatwave conditions and record water demand<\/p>\n
Claire Elliott and Wales Online readers<\/p>\n
16:32, 17 Jul 2026<\/p>\n
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Welsh Water said it has already increased production, moved water around the network, used tankers and stepped up leak repairs(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Wales Online readers have reacted to news that Welsh Water may introduce a hosepipe ban this weekend <\/a>as hot weather<\/a> and soaring demand puts pressure on supplies. The company has warned that restrictions may be brought in across parts of mid and south Ceredigion<\/a>, north Pembrokeshire<\/a> and north Carmarthenshire<\/a> unless water usage drops over the coming days.<\/p>\n The potential ban follows a warning earlier this week urging customers to use water wisely as consumption levels have surged during the latest heatwave.<\/p>\n Welsh Water said the move would be an emergency measure to protect supplies and reduce the risk of low water pressure or interruptions for customers.<\/p>\n The company said around one billion litres of drinking water have been pumped into the network every day over the past week, around 20% higher than normal for this time of year.<\/p>\n Although reservoir levels remain healthy, Welsh Water said the challenge is producing, treating, storing and moving enough water quickly enough to meet the “exceptional” demand.<\/p>\n The affected area would cover around 33,000 properties, including parts of Ceredigion<\/a>, north Pembrokeshire<\/a> and north Carmarthenshire<\/a>.<\/p>\n Welsh Water said it has already increased production, moved water around the network, used tankers and stepped up leak repairs, but demand continues to outstrip what can be supplied during peak periods.<\/p>\n Kit Wilson, Welsh Water’s chief customer officer, said the company was doing everything possible to keep supplies flowing but warned restrictions could be unavoidable unless usage falls. He said: “This is not a decision we want to take, but we must act in the interests of all our customers.”<\/p>\n The company said it will continue monitoring demand and weather<\/a> conditions before making a final decision. Any restrictions would only apply to the affected areas and would be lifted once demand reduces and supplies recover.<\/p>\n WalesOnline reader Elijasbampa says: \u201cIf they reduce my bill, then maybe there would be a discussion to have. But if I’m paying for a service, I should be able to use it. People shouldn’t be expected to keep paying the same amount while being told they can no longer access what they’ve paid for.\u201d<\/p>\n Dogman61 thinks: \u201cMaybe we should start by looking after our own communities first. If Wales is facing water issues, people are going to ask why we’re still supplying other parts of Britain instead of making sure there\u2019s enough for people here.\u201d<\/p>\n Wizard until i die points out: \u201cWe need more reservoirs and storage capacity, because that\u2019s where the real problem lies. It can rain for weeks during the winter, but if there\u2019s nowhere to store that water, it simply runs off into rivers and out to sea. Capturing and storing more of it would help provide a more reliable supply when dry periods arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n Enochs agrees: \u201c It\u2019s hard to take lectures about saving water seriously when thousands of Olympic sized swimming pools are lost through leaks every day. Maybe fixing the leaks and sorting the ageing infrastructure should come before telling everyone else to cut back.\u201d<\/p>\n Bluebuoy adds: \u201c2025\/26 was a winter of constant Atlantic storms and huge amounts of rain, with Cornwall seeing one of its wettest winters on record. The UK had rainfall well above average, yet after just a month of dry weather we\u2019re already being told to be careful with water.<\/p>\n “A lot of people will be asking why, after all that rain, we still seem to end up struggling. Surely better planning, more storage and fixing years of underinvestment by water companies should be part of the solution.\u201d<\/p>\n Claire M thinks: \u201cMaybe fix the reservoirs we have. And think about making some more. If we’re already struggling, how is Wales going to cope with the tens and tens of thousands of new homes being built. That’s without thinking of where the water is going to come from for the proposed new data centre to be built.\u201d<\/p>\n