Welsh Water tells Pontycymer residents to pay £7,000 to fix water pipe leak

Residents say they could face prosecution if they do not pay thousands of pounds to repair a water pipe outside their homes.

The residents of five houses in Pontycymer, Bridgend county, said they were told by Welsh Water that a leak from the shared pipe supplying their homes needs to be repaired at their own cost, which they estimate could cost more than £7,000 each.

The Garw Valley locals claim they have been given no evidence of where the leak is which their insurance companies need to cover the cost, causing sleepless nights.

A Welsh Water spokesperson said it does not own or manage the pipe so it's the responsibility of property owners, and residents have 11 days to fix it.

The estimated cost of more than £7,000 would go towards replacing the rear water pipe in their back gardens with a new pipe at the front of the terraced row, they said, along with connecting it to each house individually.

Resident Nerys Walters said the dispute had brought her massive amounts of stress over the last two years.

She said they initially thought the cost of repairs could be covered through insurance, but with no evidence of the leak being provided, insurers have said they would not pay out.

Walters said: "It's been a nightmare situation for us that has really caused us all a lot of stress.

"Welsh Water have said they would pay for a new line that runs parallel to the front of the property, but we would then have to fund the cost of it coming in from the gate, and through the house to our rear stopcock.

Walters said she had spoken to "numerous contractors" who quoted the residents more than £1,000 a metre for the work.

"This has been going on for about a year and a half now and we've been asking for that evidence ever since but have been given nothing", she said.

"No evidence of the leak, and no reason as to why they adopted other pipes in the street but not ours. All the while the deadline they have given runs down. It's been very difficult and we just want to get it sorted."

The residents from five houses in the village of Pontycymer could face prosecution if they do not pay thousands of pounds for the repairs

Eddie Wood, who has lived on the row for more than 30 years, said he has had sleepless nights since the letter about the leaking pipe first arrived.

"I've been very worried about it. They told us there was a leak and we had to fix it, but when we looked on the deeds there was nothing on there about responsibility for the pipe," he said.

"I worry about it when I'm in bed at night and even first thing in the morning. I'm 86 now so I don't have the money coming in that I used to and it can feel quite isolating having to fight such a big organisation."

Bridgend councillor Martyn Jones said it was a "distressing" time for the Pontycymer residents.

Jones said he had met with an engineer from Welsh Water, on behalf of the residents but claimed he was "yet to see any evidence that one or more householders are liable".

"The course of action currently being undertaken by Dwr Cymru concerns me in that I question how many other residents living in the Garw Valley and beyond are equally vulnerable if a similar situation was to develop elsewhere.

"Enforcement and prosecution should be the last resort. I appeal to Dwr Cymru to reconsider its position and work with local residents especially those who are financially vulnerable," he added.

A Welsh Water spokesperson said: "We have been working with the residents at Gwaun Bant, Pontycymer, Bridgend, who have a leak on a private, shared pipe to their properties.

"The pipe is not owned or managed by Dwr Cymru Welsh Water and is the responsibility of the property owners. However, to support the residents we have offered a free connection to our main if each property connects individually.

"We appreciate this will be an inconvenience for customers so we have also offered a contribution towards the cost of the required work to get a pipe from the properties to the main."