Efailwen: Residents left 'crying' without water during heatwave

Charles Bolsover said water supply was essential due to his wife's stage four bowel cancer

Residents have said they are "upset and crying" after being left without water supply during searing temperatures.

People living in Efailwen, Carmarthenshire, have been complaining for years about poor water supply - especially during heatwaves.

Charles Bolsover said it was making life a "misery" for him and his wife, who needs water to wash her stoma.

Welsh Water has apologised for the inconvenience and blamed temporary supply issues on extremely high demand.

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"It affects us greatly because my wife has stage four bowel cancer, which was diagnosed a few months ago. She has a stoma, which she finds difficult to deal with and it has to be cleaned," said Mr Bolsover.

"We've told people not to come and visit their Mum. She's really sick and they can't come and stay here because there's no water, it's an awful situation," he added.

Mr Bolsover said 18 bottles of water had been delivered over the last 10 days, but said that doesn't last long when having to wash, clean your teeth, flush the toilet as well as drink.

"So we've basically we've been crying and upset," he said, adding: "You can't shower. You can't brush your teeth."

"I took [my wife] down to Tenby to stay with her cousin because they've got water down there, so she can shower, and she was like a different person.

"She's crying because there's no water, cause she's got this horrible thing going on inside her and its just made it a misery."

He said low water pressures problems had started again in April and now it was "beyond the norm".

'We should still be having some water'

Another villager Katrina Davies said she is having to phone Welsh Water every day due to the lack of supply.

"I understand the weather's hot, but we still should be having some water, but it's been about four days recently the water had been off," she said.

Katrina Davies said some neighbours had told her they had been having issues for years

"Water has been off throughout the day. First thing in the morning and then we'll not get her back till about quarter to 10, 11 o'clock at night. But that's no good when you've got kids."

"I'm having to travel to my mother-in-law's just to get a shower, and the kids. So it's hard work."

"Not long ago we had no water for two days, and obviously kids at school they're hot and stuffy, and you don't want sent kids looking dirty to school."

Ms Davies has lived in Efailwen since November, and said there have been a number of occasions when the water has cut out.

"All we get told is that 'there is no issue according to us', and then they sent people out and nothing gets done," she added.

Another neighbour, with serious health problems, said she had experienced low pressure problems since she moved to the village seven years ago but now the situation was "grim" and "unbearable".

"We've been given all manner of excuses," she said. "But this year it's worse than ever."

'Water flowing'

A Welsh Water spokesperson said: "Due to the extremely high demand we are seeing for water during the warm weather, we are aware that a small number of customers located around Efailwen are experiencing some temporary issues with their supplies.

"We are working around the clock to try and keep up with the demand and have increased the amount of water we are treating and also using our water tankers to top levels up in the area.

"We are contacting the customers who may be affected and providing them with bottled water and apologise for any inconvenience caused."

"We are asking all of our customers to be mindful how they use water during the warm weather to help us keep the water flowing. Simple water saving tips can be found on our website."