Lead replacement scheme

Water's wonderful so don't let lead stop you enjoying it. If your home was built before 1970, take a moment to check for lead pipes.
It's quick, easy and could be one of the most important things you do.

What to do if you have lead pipes in your home

If your home was built before the 1970s its possible that it may have lead pipes. Lead solder and brass based fittings connected to your internal plumbing system can also be a contributing factor towards lead contamination in drinking water.

The wholesome drinking water we supply can pick up small amounts of soluble lead as it passes though old pipes and water fittings, particularly if it’s left standing for a long period of time.

What we are doing

HafrenDyfrdwy is committed to improving the quality of water we provide. We carry out lots of water samples and pipe investigations to identify and replace old lead pipes within our area of supply. As part of our commitment to reduce lead levels in drinking water we need your help! Your property may have old lead pipes supplying it and we want to work with you to replace these pipes.

The pipe from the property boundary up to and including the internal plumbing is normally the responsibility of the property owner. We would like to work with you to help find lead supply pipes and offer you further support with their replacement.

Helping you find lead pipework

Unpainted lead pipes are a dull grey colour, and have swollen, rounded joints where they meet other pipes.

Lead is a soft metal and so if you tap a lead pipe with a metal object, like a coin, you will hear a dull thud rather than a clear ringing like you would with harder copper or iron pipe.

 

How to carry out a scratch test

Sut i ganfod a oes gennych bibelli plwm

Mae’ch cyflenwad dŵr cystal â bod yn ddi-blwm, ond weithiau gall ychydig bach o blwm fynd i mewn i’r dŵr drwy’r pibwaith plwm y tu mewn i’ch cartref neu drwy bibell blwm sy’n cysylltu’ch cartref â’r brif bibell ddŵr y tu allan. 

Os adeiladwyd eich cartref cyn 1970, gall fod gennych bibell blwm a ddaw â dŵr i mewn i’ch cartref.

Fel arfer, nid oes gan gartrefi mwy diweddar bibelli plwm.

I ganfod pa fath o bibelli sydd gennych, yn gyntaf oll, canfyddwch ymhle y daw’r cyflenwad dŵr i mewn i’ch cartref.

Mae hyn fel arfer yn y gegin – o bosibl o dan y sinc, neu mewn toiled lawr grisiau, neu mewn cwpwrdd.

Unwaith rydych wedi’i ganfod, dyma ffordd gyflym y gallwch wirio i weld o ba beth y gwneir eich pibelli.

Mae pibelli plwm heb eu peintio yn lliw llwyd, afloyw, ac os crafir nhw â darn o arian, fe welwch fetel lliw arian, gloyw oddi tano.

Gwneir mathau eraill o bibelli o gopr, sy’n lliw brown cochlyd; neu blastig, a all fod yn ystod o liwiau.

Hyd yn oed os oes gennych blymwaith mewnol copr neu blastig newydd, gallai’r bibell a ddaw â’r dŵr i mewn i’ch cartref serch hynny fod yn blwm.

Edrychwch o dan eich tap cau dŵr i wirio a yw’r bibell yn blwm.

Os oes gennych bibelli plwm, dyma rai ffyrdd y gallwch leihau’r plwm yn eich dŵr yfed.

  • Newidiwch bob pibell blwm, sef y ffordd orau o gael gwared ag ef yn gyfan gwbl.
  • Peidiwch ag yfed dŵr sydd wedi bod yn sefyll mewn pibell am gyfnod - fflysiwch y pibelli drwy agor y tap dŵr oer a gadael i’r dŵr lifo am o leiaf ddau funud neu fflysiwch eich toiled.
  • Cymerwch eich dŵr yfed bob amser o’r tap dŵr oer - peidiwch byth â defnyddio’r tap dŵr poeth.  Gall y dŵr poeth gynyddu’r plwm a amsugnir o’ch pibelli plwm.
  • Hefyd, gall rhai hidlenni dŵr gael gwared ag olion o blwm, ond darllenwch gyfarwyddiadau’r gweithgynhyrchydd cyn prynu hidlen ddŵr.

I gael mwy o gyngor, ewch i hdcymru.co.uk/lead neu ffoniwch y llinell gynghori ar 0800 085 8033.

Helping you replace your old pipes

As part of the Welsh Government lead free Wales initiative, we are working with home owners to identify and replace lead service pipes for free!

If you find a lead supply pipe at your property, or are concerned in anyway about lead pipes in your home, we can help.

Call 0800 085 8033 and we’ll visit your property to confirm if you have a lead supply pipe. A water quality sample may also be taken to determine the level of lead in your water supply. If lead levels are found to be greater than 5µg/l we may offer to replace your lead supply pipe for free*

*Subject to a physical site inspection and the pipework installation meeting our free lead service pipe replacement criteria.