'Water pressure is so bad here I WhatsApp my neighbours before showering'

Residents in a village beset with water pressure problems say the simplest of household tasks have become a battle.

Some people living in rural Lower Cumberworth in West Yorkshire have begun texting their neighbours before they wash to avoid taps running dry. Others have been forced to fill their washing machines by hand and are unable to run more than one tap at once.

They blamed the problems on Yorkshire Water's efforts to fix pipe leaks and bursts in the area by reducing the water pressure.

However, the company - which is increasing bills from an average of £467 to £602 in April - said tests showed the water pressure levels it was responsible for "exceeded the standards required".

Matt Hannam and his wife Yolande live in one of four terraced houses which share the same water supply.

He said they had started experiencing problems with water pressure in their home in December 2023 following the installation of a pressure reduction valve to reduce the likelihood of pipes in the area bursting and causing leaks.

"Everything worked well until then," said Mr Hannam, 59. "[Now] at times it's absolutely awful.

"Everybody needs water. For us, it's a constant headache and a stress."

Together with their other neighbours, Mr and Mrs Hannam have set up a WhatsApp group to tell each other when they are planning to use water for showering or washing their clothes.

In it, Mr Hannam makes a joke about the four members of his household sharing a glass of water as a possible explanation for the latest drought.

To complete a standard washing cycle, Mr and Mrs Hannam said they must fill up their washing machine with six four-pint cartons three times.

"We can't ever just switch it on and walk out of the house," said Mrs Hannam, 52.

"We have two teenagers in the house so I have to wash maybe at least two or three times a day."

After Mr Hannam starts the washing machine, the water supply coming out of his kitchen tap turns to a trickle.

A lack of water pressure causes other problems for the household, from a lack of heating to sanitary issues.

"If we flush any of the toilets in the house it takes at least 30 minutes for the cistern to fill and we have no water in the kitchen for at least 10 minutes," said Mrs Hannam, an occupational therapist.

"Not being able to flush the toilet becomes a health issue and, on a personal level, a wellbeing issue."

She admitted "just trying to construct your day is really, really difficult", adding: "It's frustrating when we want to get a glass of water and nothing comes out of the tap.

"It's just inadequate. I don't think I'm coping very well - it's making me really, really fed up. I have had enough."

Two doors down, Lee-Ann Meitiner and her husband Michael are facing similar issues, which they also claim date back to December 2023.

"There are times when I really do literally feel like crying," said Mrs Meitiner, a PA working for the NHS.

"When you turn on the tap and there's absolutely nothing, you can't do anything - I can't brush my teeth, wash my face."

The 59-year-old added: "It's simple, little things that you take for granted, but it does make a hell of an impact on our lives."

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said due to the age of the properties in the area, "many are supplied by aging, private, joint pipework, which can lead to low pressures at times when most people use their water".

"As with any internal pipework, this is the responsibility of homeowners to maintain, repair or replace," they added.

Mrs Meitiner said she and her neighbours have heard stories of other residents in the village paying thousands to replace pipework, only for the problem with their water pressure to persist.

According to their estimates, replacing or repairing the pipes would cost about £6,000 per house.

"After hearing what's happened with other people in the area, there isn't any point," says Mrs Meitiner. "We don't want to be wasting money we haven't got."

The Yorkshire Water spokesperson said they had investigated four cases of low pressure in the area in the last 12 months - all at properties with a joint water supply.

"On each occasion the water pressure at the boundary of the properties, which is the responsibility of Yorkshire Water, has exceeded the standards required for residential properties," they added.

Two other residents living nearby, whose homes are directly served by a water supply, said they had noticed a drop in their water pressure since December 2023.

Mr Hannam also claimed to have been contacted by 14 other people who have experienced issues in that time.

"I don't believe it's the [individual] pipes," said Lynn Mitchell, a resident of neighbouring Upper Cumberworth for 16 years.

"What Yorkshire Water have done is quite legal but it's not working. Some people have hardly got a supply."

Ms Mitchell said she felt "quite resentful" about water bills rising this month. The firm is increasing bills from an average of £467 to £602.

Residents met with their local MP Jade Botterill last weekend to discuss the issue.

In a statement, she said: "I'd urge Yorkshire Water to look again into the matter to ensure residents are getting the service they pay for.

"My team and I will continue working with both the residents' group and Yorkshire Water to resolve the matter."

Tim Bamford, who represents Lower Cumberworth on Kirklees Council and lives in nearby Skelmanthorpe, said he had also experienced low water pressure in his home.

Another Skelmanthorpe resident, Mick Lindley, claimed his water pressure - supplied directly to his home - was "absolutely rubbish".

Mr Lindley, who lives about half a mile away from those affected in Lower Cumberworth, said he had faced issues for 30 years.

The installation of water pumps, at a cost of more than £1,000, had helped, he said, albeit at the cost of his utility bills.

"If we don't have it, we can barely get a shower," said the 71-year-old retired joiner and manufacturer.

The Yorkshire Water spokesperson added: "If there are customers in the area experiencing low pressure who have not contacted us, we would urge them to call us so we can arrange a visit and investigate the possible cause of low pressures and advise the best way to resolve any issues we find."