VILLAGERS are set to benefit from a major £8m investment by Welsh Water upgrading more than 13 kilometres of water piping.

The installation in and around Penallt follows a history of complaints about water quality.

Last year, local Conservative councillors Richard John and Jayne McKenna organised a public meeting with Welsh Water and residents who were frustrated with discoloured water.

The project will replace old cast iron pipes with modern, more resilient polyethylene pipes.

Welsh Water will be hosting a public drop-in session where residents can learn more about the planned works at Pelham Hall in Penallt from 3.30pm to 6.30pm on Wednesday, August 26.

Preparatory work is expected to begin on Monday, August 17, with the main construction phase scheduled from December 2026 to December 2027.

Cllr John said: “We are delighted that Welsh Water has listened to the concerns raised by local residents and responded with a significant £8m investment in Penallt’s water network.

“In our public meeting last year, it was clear that many households had experienced cloudy, discoloured or even brown water, which was completely unacceptable.

“We understand that the work will take place between 7.30am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, although there may be some work outside these hours.”

Cllr McKenna said: “This is a very welcome investment to improve the quality of drinking water for residents in and around Penallt, replacing old cast iron pipework.

“We would encourage residents to attend the drop-in session at Pelham Hall on August 26 and ask questions about the plans.

“We are mindful that the work will require some road closures in the next 16 months and inevitably cause some disruption, but we hope that residents will notice a significant improvement in the quality of their water supply.”