**Burst Water Main Causes Widespread School Closures and Disruption to 1,400 Homes in Rhondda Cynon Taf**
Significant disruption swept across parts of Rhondda Cynon Taf on Wednesday as a burst water main resulted in the closure of five local schools and left approximately 1,400 households without a water supply. Residents and businesses in the Llantrisant, Beddau, and Ynysmaerdy communities faced an unexpected and lengthy interruption, with repercussions felt throughout the school and working day.
The incident, reported to Welsh Water just before 3am, sparked immediate concern for both home and business owners. The authorities moved swiftly to address the situation after it became clear that water services were severely compromised. Among the most impacted were several educational establishments, who found themselves unable to continue lessons due to essential facilities being unavailable.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council confirmed early on Wednesday that Bryncelynnog School, Ysgol Castellau, and Gwaunmeisgyn Primary all closed their doors for the day as a direct consequence of the water shortage. Llantrisant Primary followed suit with an afternoon closure. Llwyncrwn Primary also took precautionary measures, but due to a fortunate school trip for younger pupils, the impact there was somewhat reduced. The council made it clear that the decision to shut the schools had not been taken lightly, citing health and hygiene concerns relating to the lack of running water for toilets, hand washing, and meal preparation.
A council spokesperson explained, “The closure of the affected schools was unfortunately unavoidable. With no water available on site, there was no way to ensure safe, sanitary conditions for staff or pupils.” While education was disrupted, the local NHS facilities remained shielded from the incident. Pontypridd MP Alex Davies-Jones reassured the public that the Royal Glamorgan Hospital continued to operate normally, its water supply unaffected by the main’s failure.
Welsh Water worked into the day to restore the service, deploying specialist crews to reconfigure the network and bring in tankers to replenish supply to the most affected areas. By Wednesday afternoon, approximately 850 properties had their water service reinstated, with the remaining 550 properties in central Beddau expected to see a resolution imminently.
Residents were advised that, even as supply resumed, they might experience temporary issues such as low water pressure or some discolouration as the system returned to normal. Welsh Water’s website indicated an estimated repair completion time of 6pm the same evening, and the company provided regular updates online to keep the public informed about progress and expected timelines.
Of notable environmental concern was the location of the burst, which occurred on a designated site of special scientific interest. This necessitated additional measures to minimise ecological harm, according to Welsh Water. Despite these challenges, the company prioritised restoring supply to customers as quickly and safely as possible, confirming that tankers would remain on hand to ensure continued support, especially for vulnerable customers, care homes, and schools.
A spokesperson for Welsh Water commended the patience and understanding shown by local residents, highlighting the efforts of teams working throughout the day to resolve the issue. “Our crews have worked tirelessly to restore supplies and support the community during this challenging event. We are grateful for everyone’s patience as we work towards a full resolution.”
Local officials and water authorities have pledged to thoroughly investigate the cause of the burst and are reviewing response procedures to mitigate future risks. For now, community efforts are concentrated on supporting those still affected and ensuring the complete restoration of normal service across the region.
As water services gradually return to affected areas, attention remains focused on minimising ongoing disruption, supporting the most vulnerable, and evaluating ways to strengthen local infrastructure resilience against similar problems in the future.