A hosepipe ban comes into force today (Friday, August 19) for more than 60,000 homes in Pembrokeshire and parts of Carmarthenshire served by Llys y Fran reservoir.

The temporary use ban comes in at 8am after the driest year since 1976, record temperatures and record levels of demand for water, water resources have now hit drought levels.

Welsh Water says it has taken this step to ensure enough water remains to continue supplying customers and over the coming months.

Customers in the affected area, which also includes a small adjoining part of Carmarthenshire, have already been sent letters to advise them that they will not be able to use a hosepipe to carry out activities in and around their properties.

The region has only seen just over 60 per cent of the expected rainfall between March and July.

Following this, Welsh Water has undertaken a number of activities to help conserve water in the area.

Welsh Water says this has included increased detection and repair of leaks, plus the use of water tankers to respond to peak periods of demand in some parts of the county to help maintain supplies.

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Ian Christie, Welsh Water’s Managing Director of Water Services said: "It is not a decision we take lightly because we know the inconvenience it can cause, but if we don’t take action now then there would be a real risk of further restrictions later which is something we really want to avoid for our customers. 

“With no significant rain in the forecast it is important that we all work together to make sure the water continues to flow. 

"We are also doing our bit as well and have increased the number of people in the area we have finding and fixing leaks.

"This has seen us increase manpower in the area by 70% which in turn means we are now detecting and fixing 40% more leaks compared to 2021.

"We do however appreciate that customers can get frustrated if a leak isn’t fixed as soon as they report it to us.

"While the majority of leaks are fixed immediately, there are some which can prove to be more complex and requires traffic management so the work can be done safely.

"These then can take longer however we can assure our customers that we are doing everything we can to fix each one as quickly as we can."

Mr Christie added: “We really do appreciate the steps people have already taken to limit the amount of water they use but we would urge everyone now in the affected area to respect the ban and not use a hosepipe.

"There are exceptions, particularly for those holding a Blue Badge or on our Priority Service Register. A full list of what people aren’t allowed to do under the ban and the exceptions can be found on our website."