Water supply 'back on' for homes

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Tim Masters, head of water quality at Welsh Water, says the thaw can bring its own set of problems

Welsh Water said hundreds of homes in south Wales have had their water supply restored, ending three days of disruption caused by freezing weather.

Around 600 homes in the Trehafod area of Rhondda remained cut off after three mains burst on Thursday.

The cut off came only hours after 5,000 properties were reconnected after a pipe into a treatment works broke.

Welsh Water said the mains had been repaired and the reservoir feeding the treatment works had been refilled.

Originally, the water supply to 6,000 homes and businesses was disrupted by the cold weather.

Supplies to more than 5,000 homes between nearby Porth and the village of Maerdy were only restored on Wednesday night after 48 hours.

On Thursday, parts of Rhondda Fach were hit for a third day after further problems at the treatment works at Maerdy.

Villages affected included Maerdy, Wattstown, Ferndale, Blaenllechau, Tylorstown and Ynyshir.

Two primary schools and a road in Trehafod closed as repairs to the burst mains in the village began and bottled water was taken to residents.

Trehopcyn and Hafod primary schools sent pupils home for the day after the supply was cut.

One Trehafod resident described the latest problem as a "nuisance" while another said she had rung the firm a number of times.

Brian Jones said the burst main was a "nuisance coming so soon after the last outbreak".

Heather Owens said: "They cannot guarantee we will have water tonight and that because we are an isolated case there is nothing they can do."

'Repair work'

A spokesman for Welsh Water said people in isolated properties who continued to have a water supply problem should contact the firm as usual.

He said: "Most people in the the Rhondda Fach had their water back hours ago. There were just a few people without it. They should have it now."

Welsh Water apologised for the fresh disruption.

An earlier statement said: "We were alerted to a burst water main in Trehafod Road, Trehafod, this morning, which affected supplies to approximately 600 properties.

"We immediately dispatched a team who carried out the necessary repair work.

"Unfortunately a further burst has occurred along the same main, which means customers are still affected."

There was a further problem at the Maerdy treatment works on Thursday

The statement said the new bursts were unrelated to the damaged pipe into Maerdy treatment works which saw some 6,000 properties without a supply.

However, a spokeswoman added: "The likelihood is that thawing out, following very low temperatures, could have caused the bursts in Trehafod."

The company later said there had been a fresh problem at the treatment works on Thursday, which required remedial work.

Water levels at the reservoir feeding the area dropped while the repair was carried out at lunchtime.

The level in the reservoir returned to normal once the repair was carried out, said Welsh Water.

Rhondda MP Chris Bryant said he had written to Welsh Water calling for an urgent review of water in the Rhondda Fach and the Fawr.

'Information'

He said: "It seems a mighty coincidence that two parts of the same area happen to have experienced burst pipes.

"I think it's also crucial that Welsh Water gets information to people affected in Trehafod as soon as possible. Not tomorrow but now.

"I know staff at Welsh Water have been working through the past nights to get things fixed, but there's no reason why people shouldn't get up-to-date information."

Welsh Water said customers with special needs or mothers with young babies who are affected by this interruption will be supplied with bottled water on request, by contacting freephone 0800 052 0130. Customers who are deaf or hard of hearing and have the use of a textphone/Minicom, can call 0800 052 4125.