‘Conserve water’ advice as drought hits county

Carmarthen Journal, Jul 21, 2010

DESPITE the wet weather, water bosses have written to customers in Mid and South Ceredigion asking them to help conserve water during the county’s first drought for more than 15 years.

Welsh Water says it should be able to avoid imposing a hosepipe ban in Ceredigion — one of just two areas where customers have been contacted — this summer because of adequate reservoir levels, but still wants customers to use water wisely.

They have been asked to avoid using garden sprinklers and consider buying plants that don’t need much watering in a list of efficiency tips for the garden.

Other water-saving tips include limiting showers to four minutes, not letting the tap run when brushing teeth, shaving or washing hands and fitting ‘hippo’ water saver bags into toilet cisterns.

Rainfall in Mid and South Ceredigion has been just over half the normal amount this year, making it a drought year, and contributing to very low river levels.

The area experienced the driest spring and early summer for more than 80 years. Welsh Water, the only not-for-profit water company in England and Wales, says water use in Mid and South Ceredigion has been a third higher than normal because of the recent warm weather.

Managing director Nigel Annett said it wanted to keep customers informed of the water supply situation.

“Although we consider that reservoir levels should be adequate for the rest of the summer, we want to ensure that they last for months to come and we are asking our customers for help,” said Mr Annett.

“The areas in which we are writing to people are those where water resources may be most stretched if the hot weather continues and there isn’t enough rainfall to top up our reservoirs.”

Customers in Mid and South Ceredigion are among around 50,000 customers contacted by letter.

Letters have only been sent to people in two areas, the Llyn Peninsular and mid and south Ceredigion, because water use there has been over a third higher than normal.

.Information on the company’s Be Waterwise campaign can be accessed at www.dwrcymru.com

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