Dry Weather
Use the water you need, but avoid wasting it.
Prolonged dry weather has an impact on water resources, such as our reservoirs. The current dry spell means that we’re asking our customers to think about the way they use water. Use the water you need, but avoid wasting it.
No active restrictions
There are no active restrictions in place in our operating area.
Current Weather
Across our operating area, dry weather directly affects our water resources.
This year has seen the warmest and sunniest spring on record in both Wales and the UK. This combination of heat and sunshine, coupled with very low rainfall, has created challenging conditions across much of the country for water resources.
This prolonged period of dry weather has caused reservoir storage to decline to levels below what we would like to see at this time of year.
Each reservoir and area we serve has different trigger points for restricting water usage. We would like to avoid this and ask customers to work with us to help conserve water resources.
Reservoir levels
Around 95% of our water resources originate as surface water either from reservoir storage or river abstractions. The below image shows the status of our reservoir levels and is updated weekly.
We have very little dependence on groundwater supplies.
This reliance on surface waters can increase vulnerability to short periods of low rainfall as river levels change more quickly than groundwaters. River levels are the responsibility of Natural Resources Wales.
Stages of drought
We follow five stages of action in our Drought Action Plan, which we manage through demand management measures. We work closely with Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales and other agencies at each stage as part of the Wales Drought Liaison Group.
This is where we are currently, but our 23 water resource zones across Wales can move to different stages at different times. Weather is normal for the time of year with no concerns on supply or demand side but time of year requires the start messaging to customers to introduce the importance of saving water.
We are experiencing dry conditions and the forecast is for warm, dry weather to continue. Water resources are starting to show signs of developing drought but only in some very localised areas.
Due to prolonged dry weather, water resources are lower than we would expect for the time of year. To protect supplies, a temporary use ban may be in place as a necessary step in some areas.
Continuation of the prolonged dry weather resulting in exceptionally low water resources. Additional measures will be taken to sustain supplies to customers with temporary use measures in place.
Emergency Measures: Water resources have now reached levels where it is impossible to maintain a regular supply to customers therefore emergency measures need to be implemented. This could include the use of standpipes and timed cuts to water supplies or widespread pressure management whilst fully considering the potential impact on water quality within specific areas of our water supply network.
By working together during exceptionally challenging dry weather conditions, we are able to announce the end of drought conditions and the temporary restrictions which have been put in place.
You can view our full corporate drought plan here.
What we're currently doing
Our teams are working hard to ensure we’re taking every step possible to maximise water efficiency across our operating areas including:
- Leakage detection and fixes to cut the amount of water that is lost from the network. Teams are working across the country fixing leaks as quickly as they can. Our teams are currently fixing around 700 leaks every week and customers can help by reporting any leaks to us. Over the next five years, we will reduce leakage by a quarter and we’re spending around £400m on pipe replacement and leakage repairs to support this ambition.
- Increased water storage.
- Rezoning and tankering water to areas in high demand.
- Ongoing network upgrades.
- Increased water production at our treatment works to move water around the system to keep the levels topped up where demand is highest.
We’re doing all we can to save water by fixing leaks quickly and moving water around where we can and are asking for your help to reduce the amount of water that you use.
It’s important that we all play our part by continuing to reduce consumption so that together we can help minimise the risk of restrictions to supplies.
Drought Plan
Welsh Water’s Drought Plan outlines how we manage water supplies during dry periods to ensure continued service for our customers while protecting the environment. The plan includes monitoring water levels and weather patterns to anticipate drought conditions. We work closely with Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales and other stakeholders to develop the plan.
Our latest Drought Plan is available here.
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Cartref
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Dry weather myth busters
Find out more about the impact of dry weather on water resources with our myth busters.
Click here for our dry weather myth busters