Villagers await water judgement

Before proper bathrooms, villagers used to get water from a stand pipe

Judgement has been reserved in a High Court case against four residents from a tiny village on the Llyn Peninsula, who have been receiving free water.

The arrangement dates back to 1909 when the owners of the Broom Hall estate at Abererch near Pwllheli signed an agreement with the local authority.

It gave people living on the estate free water for ever.

However, the village has grown and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water now wants all residents to pay.

By 2002, there were about 100 people claiming free water under the original agreement.

Many more people have moved into the area and claimed this right - even though everyone now has direct water supplies to their homes Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

Welsh Water decided to demand payment and also asked residents to sign a document revoking the original agreement.

Four residents refused on principle and faced a two-day High Court action in Caernarfon.

The judge is expected to annouce his decision at a later date.

The residents could face paying costs of up to £50,000 if they lose the case.

Iwan Edgar, one of the residents, said: ""Our choice was accepting that it was too expensive to challenge or stand by our principles because it's unfair for a big corporation with bottomless pockets to do a 'steam roller job' on us."

'Huge increase'

In a statement before the hearing, Welsh Water said the agreement to provide free water was not relevant to today's totally changed circumstances.

The company says it was unfair to expect some customers to subsidise others.

A spokesman said: "In agreements of 1909 and 1949 the local authority was given permission to lay water pipes if the small number of people then living on the estate could have water free of charge from a stand pipe.

"Since then many more people have moved into the area and claimed this right - even though everyone now has direct water supplies to their homes from Dwr Cymru Welsh Water and no one relies on a stand pipe.

"At the time the agreements were entered into it was never envisaged that there would be the huge increase in the cost of water provision resulting from higher quality standards and environmental regulations."