July 17, 2026 - 154 views
Thousands of homes in parts of Wales could face hosepipe restrictions this weekend as record demand for water continues during the prolonged spell of hot, dry weather.
Welsh Water is warning that a temporary hosepipe ban is likely to be introduced for properties across parts of Ceredigion, north Pembrokeshire and north Carmarthenshire, unless demand reduces significantly in the coming days.
The company says the restrictions could be extended to other areas of Wales, including parts of North Wales, if dry conditions continue and pressure on local water supplies increases.
While reservoirs and overall water resources remain at healthy levels, Welsh Water says the challenge is keeping up with the exceptionally high demand for treated drinking water and moving supplies through the network.
Around one billion litres of water has been put into supply every day over the past week – around 20% more than would normally be expected at this time of year.
The warning comes as Natural Resources Wales says parts of the country are beginning to show signs of strain from the record-breaking heat, with some areas expected to move into “prolonged dry weather” status.
Welsh Water Chief Customer Officer Kit Wilson said the decision to introduce restrictions was not one the company wanted to take.
He said: “Over the past week we have been putting around one billion litres of drinking water into supply every day – around 20% more than we would normally expect at this time of year.
“We are now reaching the point where, unless demand reduces significantly over the next few days, we are likely to have no option but to introduce temporary hosepipe restrictions.”
The areas currently at greatest risk include communities in mid and south Ceredigion, parts of north Pembrokeshire and parts of north Carmarthenshire.
The company says restrictions would be lifted once weather conditions improve and local storage levels return to normal.
The pressure on supplies is being increased by the summer holiday season, with more visitors expected across Wales’ coastal and rural areas.
People across Wales are being urged to reduce non-essential water use, including avoiding unnecessary use of hosepipes for watering gardens, washing cars and cleaning outdoor areas.
Welsh Water says if everyone reduces demand now, it could help avoid wider restrictions being introduced.
The last major hosepipe bans in Wales were introduced during the summer drought of 2022, when prolonged hot weather led to reduced river flows and falling reservoir levels.
