Written Statement: Water Supply Interruption in Flintshire

On Wednesday, 13 August, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water notified Welsh Government that a repair previously undertaken to fix a burst on a water main near Bretton Water Treatment Works in Flintshire had deteriorated, and an emergency fix was now required. This meant an interruption to the water supply for a significant number of properties in the area. 

The Welsh Government activated its response arrangements in support of the wider multi-agency response put in place by partners from the North Wales Local Resilience Forum to manage the risks of the incident. 

The incident affected many people in the Flintshire area, and I am aware that some communities were affected for several days. 

Three bottled water stations were established over the course of the incident, in addition to community hubs set up to provide alternative water. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water also delivered bottled water to vulnerable individuals and maintained supplies to a hospital and to care homes. I would like to express my gratitude to Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and its workforce  for restoring water supplies to all customers who were affected by the incident as this was a substantial burst, which required a complex fix due to the challenges posed by the depth of the leak. 

The loss of water supply for any extended period can have a significant impact, especially during a time when temperatures are high. It is distressing and concerning for all residents, and especially for those who are vulnerable or receiving health or care support. I would like to recognise the resilience of those communities affected, and to extend my sympathy for the difficult situation they have faced. 

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water have rightly announced arrangements for compensation available to residential and business customers, and information can be found on their website: Information on Compensation Payments relating to the burst water main in Broughton, Flintshire | Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water  

This is the second significant water supply incident to affect areas of North Wales this year. As with the incident in Conwy in January, there are lessons to be learned from events of this kind. I met with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water on 19 August, and I welcomed confirmation that learning from the Conwy incident had been applied in this response, and that Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water will again be reflecting on this incident, identifying what worked well and any areas that need to be improved. I welcome this continuous learning from incidents of this kind to improve the response to any future incidents. 

The Drinking Water Inspectorate is the regulator which oversees water companies’ preparedness for incidents such as this, and we will await their conclusions following their review of the incident.  

Events such as this, highlight the importance of water industry infrastructure resilience. The pressure on our infrastructure is reflected in the outcome of the recent price review, which will see over £6bn invested in Wales’ water infrastructure in Wales over the next five years. Welsh Government, and Ofwat, will be closely monitoring delivery of this ambitious programme of improvements, to ensure bill-payers’ money is spent effectively. The Independent Water Commission has also put forward a number of recommendations relating to resilience matters, and the Welsh Government is carefully considering those recommendations, alongside the others put forward in the Commission’s final report published last month. 

I would like to extend my thanks to all those in local community, volunteers and the many organisations and individuals who all contributed to the efforts to support those impacted by this incident. I was particularly pleased with the joint working between Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Flintshire County Council, the Police, Fire and Ambulance services. 

This statement is being issued during recess to keep Members informed. Should Members require answers to any questions on the incident when the Senedd returns, I would be happy to respond.