Welsh Water: Supply failings after homes left without water over Christmas

Welsh Water has admitted to failings over its supply after people were left without water during the Christmas period.

Several villages in Monmouthshire were still without water on Boxing Day after almost 72 hours.

It comes after thousands of homes in west Wales were without water for several days before Christmas.

Chief executive Peter Perry said: "It is clear there are a number of areas where we should have done better."

Welsh Water said it estimated that about 200 homes were affected.

A spokesperson added: "We are very sorry to all the customers who have been impacted and very grateful to all our employees who have worked tirelessly through Christmas to restore customers' supplies in very challenging circumstances.

"More customers are having their supplies restored throughout the day and we're hopeful that remaining issues will be resolved this evening."

It also said the process to restore water would take time to avoid the pipes bursting again.

Welsh Water said air locks in the network were causing supply issues around Trellech and Llandogo, south of Monmouth, with about 200 properties affected.

The company said bottled water was being delivered to "priority customers" and has set up a bottled drinking water station at the Premier Inn hotel on Portal Road in Monmouth.

Rob Flanagan, 68, who is visiting Llandogo in Monmouthshire for Christmas, said he was using a local spring as their supply had not yet been restored.

He said: "On Christmas Eve we arrived at about 21:00 GMT and they had already been out for two hours.

"My sister-in-law called Welsh Water and was told it would be back on the same day. This is basically the story ever since.

"It was the same all day yesterday and here we are boxing day morning - no water, no sign of water and no more promises really."

Mr Flanagan said he and his family got by Christmas Day by "using a bit of wartime spirit".

"We were collecting water from the river to flush the toilets, collecting water from a stream up the road," he said.

"For drinking water my wife went to Monmouth to pick up some five litre containers which was a problem in itself because they were beginning to ration the water for people."

Apologising for the delays, Mr Perry of Welsh Water added: "We understand how frustrating and worrying it has been, especially so close to Christmas."

Households can receive £70 compensation for every day they were without their water supply. Businesses will also be able to claim for any losses incurred.

Matthew Browning, from Llandogo, has been without a water supply for three days.

He said: "Everyone's just getting a bit smelly and desperate for a wash.

"We've got three in the house, myself, my wife and our granddaughter - but we've also had the family over for Christmas dinner. It was chaotic trying to get the washing up done yesterday."

About 4,500 properties in Ceredigion lost their water supply for several days after supply pipes burst on 17 December when temperatures across Wales plummeted.