BBCSchools have been forced to close for a second day while repair work continues to restore water to about 8,000 homes after a main pipe burst at a treatment plant.
Nearly 40 schools and education centres in Conwy have announced they will remain shut on Friday, following the incident at Bryn Cowlyd Water Treatment Works in Dolgarrog, Conwy on Wednesday night.
As many as 40,000 homes are thought to be without water as a result of the burst pipe, which closed more than 20 schools and a number of businesses on Thursday.
Water supply was expected to be restored on Thursday, but on Friday morning Welsh Water said it could take a further 48 hours, even once the main is repaired.
Some residents have resorted to using stream and pond water to flush their toilets, while others have ventured out to sea to keep their toilet clean, according to social media users.
One woman said she had used water collected in the water butt to flush her toilets – while another said she had used water from the “goldfish pond”.
Several nurseries have been closed on Friday and a planned concert by the London Symphonic Rock Orchestra at Venue Cymru has also been postponed, according to their website.
Some community volunteers have been going door to door to deliver water to vulnerable people, including Conservative county councillor for Colwyn, Cheryl Carlisle.
Ms Carlisle has been sourcing water from outside of Old Colwyn to help those in need and says the emergency response to keep the community safe by Welsh Water has been “woefully inadequate”.
Speaking to Radio Wales Breakfast, she said: “We’ve had some heartbreaking stories, there are currently some nursing homes without water. It’s very distressing for them all.
“I keep thinking of elderly people, if they are not on social media, they will be so bewildered by everything.”
Welsh Water has been asked for a comment, but in a statement on its website said it plans to have bottled water stations in place on Friday, but there is a shortage in the bulk supplies of bottled water across the UK.
It added that compensation arrangements will be put in place to those customers affected, while the company uses current supplies to prioritise vulnerable customers.
Despite the water issues that have affected the area, a home football game has been given the go ahead between Colwyn Bay FC and Buckley Town on Friday evening.
But some residents could still be without water until Sunday, according to Welsh Water, which will depend on how quickly the network will refill.
Nia Clwyd Owen, Plaid Cymru county councillor for Llanrwst, Llanddoged & Maenanin, said the council have been offering different sites for Welsh Water to open water stations on Friday.
A distribution centre for vulnerable people was opened in Park Eirias on Thursday, with an additional water station added in Zip World Conwy, on Friday.
Welsh Water said bottled drinking water and static tanks are available on both sites, for customers to bring their own containers to fill up with water for flushing.
In a statement, the company asked customers to only take what they need.
There are about 5,000 vulnerable members on the list with Welsh Water and water tankers are being used to supply water to hospitals and care homes.
The incident is affecting supplies in Conwy, Dolgarrog, Eglwys Bach, Groesffordd, Gwytherin, Henryd, Llanbedr y Cennin, Llanddoged, Llanfair Talhaiarn, Llangernyw, Maenan, parts of Llanrwst, Pandy Tudur, Pentrefelin, Rowen, Rhyd y foel, Tal y Bont, Tal y Cafn, Tyn Groes and Trofarth.
