Thousands of Welsh residents to be without water for over 48 HOURS after major pipe bursts
WATCH: 'No, no, no!' Eamonn Holmes erupts at 'sickening' plans to reuse war graves in England and Wales
GB NEWS
Tens of thousands of people could remain without water until Sunday after a major pipe burst at a water treatment facility in North Wales.
The crisis began on Wednesday afternoon when a water main was damaged at the Bryn Cowlyd Water Treatment Works in Dolgarrog, affecting approximately 40,000 people across Conwy county.
Welsh Water has warned that repairs are taking "longer than planned" due to "complex" engineering challenges.
While Conwy councillor Cheryl Carlisle has called the situation "extremely serious" following talks with Welsh Water executives.
Teams have been working through the night to restore water to 40,000 people across Conwy county
WELSH WATER
Even once repairs are completed, it could take up to 48 hours before water supplies are fully restored to some properties.
The damaged water main lies two and a half metres beneath the riverbed of the River Ddu, presenting significant challenges for repair crews.
Engineers have been forced to construct a cofferdam to redirect the river flow, as the volume of water was making repairs "exceptionally difficult," according to Welsh Water.
A trench box has been installed around the damaged pipe to allow safe access for workers while protecting the environment.
LATEST FROM WALES:
Engineers have been forced to erect a cofferdam in the river
WELSH WATER
And in a sign of just how hazardous the site is, local councillor Mike Priestley said the pipe "is 13 metres deep and has the highest pressure in North Wales."
The crisis has forced the closure of more than 20 secondary and primary schools across the region, while council offices have also shut their doors.
Residents said there was "total chaos" and "mayhem" at supermarkets as people rushed to buy bottled water.
One Llandudno local described how at the local Asda "staff couldn't keep up" as shoppers filled trolleys with water bottles, while several shops in the Conwy coastal region have completely run out of bottled water supplies.
The shortage has also forced the closure of pubs, restaurants and GP surgeries, while Senedd member Janet Finch-Saunders said she was concerned that farms are running out of water for livestock altogether.
Welsh Water has prioritised delivering bottled water to 5,000 vulnerable customers on their Priority Services Register.
The company is sourcing bottled water from as far as Scotland due to UK-wide shortages, with Eirias Park serving as a distribution centre, while hospitals, care homes and hospices are being supplied by water tankers.
The company has confirmed compensation arrangements will be made for affected customers, including additional provisions for businesses.
The impacted areas impacted include Trofarth, Pentrefelin, Rowen, Rhyd y foel, Tal y Bont, Tyn Groes, parts of Llanrwst, Maenan, Llangernyw, Galhaiarn, Llanfair, Llanddoged, Llanbedir y Cennin, Henryd, Gwytherin, Groesffordd, Eglwys Bach, Conwy and Dolgarrog.
Welsh Water circulated images of the repair process on the burst pipe on Friday
WELSH WATER
A statement on Friday from Welsh Water read: "We can confirm that we have now opened two official bottled water stations at Parc Eirias (LL29 7SP) and Zip World Conwy (LL32 8QE).
"We plan to open another bottled water station but also aim to deliver pallets of bottled water to some key community locations to support our customers.
"We are continuing to support hospitals with tankers and delivering bottled water to care homes and those vulnerable customers with a high dependency on water who on our Priority Services Register.
"To recognise the inconvenience being experienced by customers whose supplies have disrupted, each eligible household will be paid £30 in compensation for every 12 hours their supplies have been affected. This will automatically be paid to customers in their bank accounts. Cheques will be issued over the coming weeks to customers who do not have registered a bank account with us. Business customers will be paid £75 in compensation for every 12 hours their supplies have been affected, but businesses will also be able to submit separate claims for additional loss of income. Details will be published on our website by midday today for business customers who are being impacted by this incident.
"We appreciate that this ongoing disruption is causing real frustration for our customers and we are truly sorry. We will be keeping everyone informed through regular updates until the situation is fully resolved. We would also like to thank all our colleagues and contractors who are working tirelessly on the repair and in supporting our customers in very difficult circumstances."
You may like
