As water levels at the Llys y Fran reservoir and certain parts of the Cleddau reach drought levels, Pembrokeshire's hosepipe ban has come as no surprise to Pembrokeshire residents.

However county councillor Joshua Beynon fears this could mark a wake-up call people to begin considering the wider implications of climate change and the way in which society must subsequently re-adjust.

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“Water levels throughout the county are most definitely lower and when you travel around the Pembrokeshire countryside you can see just how dry the land ihas become” he said.

“People generally understand why the ban has been introduced and also the reasons behind it, which point towards the wider picture of climate change.

“At the end of the day, the ban isn’t going to cause a great deal of hardship.

"People can still water their gardens with watering cans or by using water butts and people can still clean their cars with a bucket. And if children can’t fill their paddling pools, we’re so lucky in Pembrokeshire as we have beautiful beaches all along our coast.

“But my concern is that this issue isn't just going to be about water, but about energy as a whole.”

Cllr Beynon fears the Ukraine conflict could trigger further gas and energy shortages in the winter months which will have a knock-on effect on the more vulnerable members of society.

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“What will happen later on in the year if there are shortages of gas and electricity? What implications will this have on vulnerable people such as those undergoing chemotherapy or people who depend on platformed beds and wheelchairs?

“It’s really important that we use this hosepipe ban as a means of educating people about the greater impacts of climate change.”

The hosepipe ban will come into force at 8am on August 19 as a result of 2022 being the driest year since 1976 combined with record temperatures and an increased demand for water.

The amount of rainfall for July was 52mm which is a meagre 53 per cent of what’s normally expected and Pembrokeshire has had just 60 per cent if its expected rainfall between March and July.

Latest water readings at the NRW’s Western Cleddau monitoring station confirm the level currently stands at 0.366m while at Cartlett Brook it’s 0.17m and falling. Both readings are below normal.

The hosepipe ban is a means of preserving water levels at the Llys y Fran reservoir and to ensure that sufficient water remains in the Cleddau’s Special Areas of Conservation including the Daugleddau Estuary and the smaller estuaries entering Milford Haven Waterway.