Fears burst water mains could turn rural road into ice rink

Water supply issues are continuing to blight the lives of residents in Rhuallt and Tremeirchion, says a concerned councillor who fears a burst main on a rural road could cause a serious accident.

Cllr Chris Evans says Rhuallt and Tremeirchion has been putting up with low water pressure or intermittent supply issues for years, affecting residents, businesses, and farmers.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported in May and October how Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water had apologised to residents for repeated water mains bursts on rural roads.

Years of leaks on the rural stretch of road between Rhuallt, Tremeirchion, and Bodfari have led to school closures and water supply issues.

Cllr Evans said problems are continuing and now fears a burst water main on a rural road could ice over during the winter months causing a serious accident.

“Two separate leaks are still actively discharging water onto the road. One of these leaks is particularly concerning, as it is a previous Welsh Water repair which appears to have failed,” he said.

“I have to say that, after eight to 10 years of repeated complaints and ongoing problems with this water main, I am becoming increasingly frustrated and concerned that we are still in the same position as a village.

“Residents continue to experience disruption, with households suffering from no water or extremely low water pressure, roads being closed at very short notice, and leaks allowed to continue for prolonged periods.
“With the colder weather approaching, I am particularly concerned about the water running across the road. If temperatures drop and this water freezes, it could create a serious hazard, effectively turning sections of the road into an ice rink. This presents a real danger to motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, many of whom regularly use this route.

“We have cattle and livestock in the area which depend on a reliable water supply. When the watermain fails, farmers are left having to find alternative ways of providing drinking water, whether that means running temporary pipes or transporting water from other sources to fill drinking troughs. This is neither practical nor sustainable.”

He added: “We also have a local school and a community pub which are affected by these ongoing supply issues. These are important parts of our community, and both depend on a reliable water supply to operate safely and effectively.”

A Dŵr Cymru/Welsh Water spokesman said: “We are aware that some customers in the Tremeirchion area have suffered from low water pressure or intermittent supply recently due to a series of bursts on the water main.

“Our team is engaging with the community and recently attended a community council meeting to discuss the situation locally.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to reassure customers that we are working hard to improve the resilience of the water network in the area.

“Efforts are being made to reduce the impact of mains repair work in the area by doing roadworks after 7pm and overnight. This has been agreed with the highway authority and the community council.”

He added: “To improve the resilience of the water supply we have installed new equipment to improve our water network resilience and will reduce the number of bursts we suffer in the area.”

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter