Frequently asked questions TUB

Firstly we would like to thank all of our customers who were affected by the Temporary Use Ban (more commonly known as a hosepipe ban) for their cooperation while the ban has been in place. Everyone’s effort made sure we kept enough water in the reservoir over the summer to keep the water flowing for customers and meant we avoided the need to introduce any further restrictions. So again, thank you.

Introducing the ban was not a decision we took lightly however it was essential after Llys y Frân reservoir fell into drought. This was due to the driest year since 1976, record high temperatures and an increased demand for water as a result. Thanks to the cooperation of our customers during the ban, along with increased operational activities we have undertaken ourselves – especially to tackle leakage in the area - plus the rainfall we have seen in September, we have now seen the level in our Llys y Frân reservoir recover to the normal level we would expect at this time of year. This means we are now able to lift the ban.

Yes, you can start using a hosepipe just as you did before the ban was introduced. However, we do need customers to continue being sensible with how they use water and not waste any. This is essential to give the reservoir the best chance possible of refilling over the autumn and winter so that it is full ready for next Spring. There are plenty of handy tips on our website on ways to save water around the home.

We appreciate that is has been a inconvenience not being able to use a hosepipe and we really do appreciate everyone’s cooperation during the ban. There won’t however be any reduction in water bills.

Customers who are on meter wouldn’t have been charged for water they would have used with a hosepipe, i.e. they have only been charged for what they have used. Our main purpose is to provide water for the purposes of drinking, washing, sanitation etc and everyone was still able to do that, even with the hosepipe ban in place. All our customers have still be able to use water for these purposes during the ban therefore there won’t be a reduction.

This is something we are keeping under close watch, especially as the effects of climate change are widely reported as causing the drought we saw in 2022. At the time of us lifting the ban, Natural Resources Wales, is still stating that Wales remains in drought. That is why we need customers to continue being sensible with how they use water and not waste any. This is essential to give the reservoir the best chance possible of refilling over the autumn and winter so that it is full ready for next Spring.

We plan for the long term with our company wide 25 year, Water Resource Management Plan. The current plan included a £10m improvement scheme to increase water resource resilience in our Llys y Frân supply zone. This scheme will enable us to use water from the reservoir more efficiently and therefore enable us to sustain storage levels in the reservoir over a longer period during periods of high demand. Our current investment plan included delivery of this scheme by March 2025, but we have now committed to bring this forward to June 2023.

We will also continue with our work throughout the autumn and winter to find and fix leaks as quickly as we can. Customers can also help by reporting any leaks to as soon as they notice one so that we can get a team out there to deal with it.

We will also review the full impact of the 2022 drought to see if there are any lessons to be learnt that we will include in our future water resource plan for the Llys y Frân supply area.