Drought fears: Council issues advice on use of private water supplies

Argtyll and Bute Council has just issued advice on private water supplies across Argyll, urging householders to conserve their supply and make plans for what they will do if it runs out.

The situation in Argyll and Bute gives cause for concern and, with little rain forecast for some time, it is likely to worsen. As we have reported, Scottish Water has already taken water tankers to Tobermory on Mull and Tiree’s water supplies are always fragile in drought conditions.

The council issued the advice as fears grow that many of the area’s 1,600 households with private water supplies could be at risk of losing their water as the spell of extremely dry weather continues.

Councillor Robert Macintyre, spokesperson for Economy, Environment and Rural Affairs, says the lack of rain over the last few weeks was likely to lead to supplies drying up. ‘We have had significantly less rain than we usually do at this time of year, and I know there are users of private water supplies across the area who are understandably now very concerned.

‘If you believe your supply is at risk of drying up, the first thing to do is to consider what steps you can take to reduce your current usage and also to consider how you could access drinking water should your supply run out’.

Council Advice

Advice on water conservation can be found on the Scottish Water website.

Among the most simple measures are:

• Use  the ‘short flush’ on your toilet where available, or fit a device to reduce the amount of water used to flush the toilet.
• Take a short shower, rather than a longer shower or a bath
• Fix leaks or dripping taps (and we assume that Scottish Water has been progressively fixing much more serious leaks
• Don’t leave the tap running whilst brushing teeth or washing vegetables etc
• Ensure all water tanks are covered to reduce evaporation (this should also help to reduce the risk of contamination to your supply.

Councillor Macintyre further recommends that people on private supplies make plans for what to do if their water runs out.

‘Many of those who are at risk of having no water live in isolated areas or are vulnerable in other ways, so it is important that plans are in place should their supply run dry.

‘Obviously if there are neighbours relatively close by who are on a different supply, they will hopefully be able to provide water. And in a few cases, it might also be possible to switch to another source.

‘But if these two measures are not an option, households may have to buy an emergency bottled supply to keep them going in the meantime.

‘For those of our residents whose water is supplied by a third party, it is also of course worth approaching them to see if they have an action plan in place to deal with supplies drying up’.

Users of private supplies should also be aware that the characteristics of their water supply may also change if levels get low. And there may be more suspended solids (higher colour in the supply) which can reduce the effectiveness of existing treatment such as UV disinfection.

The council’s environmental health service recommends that where your supply is affected and where water is sourced from other supplies, any water which is intended to be consumed be boiled before drinking for vulnerable groups (young children, elderly and those not used to consuming from the private supply).

Mains water supplies and user restraint

While the Council’s most urgent advice relates to those with a private water supply, it is obviously necessary for those on mains water supply to start domestic conservation measures at once. Argyll and Bute’s reservoirs are at low levels.

Many of the pieces of advice above relate also to conserving water from a mains supply.

A key issue, as usual in such circumstances, relates to gardeners and hosepipe use. It is likely that there will shortly be prohibitions in force on the use of hosepipes but common seense and social responsibiity means that no one should be waiting to be told.

Buying water butts to harvest such rainwater as we may get and using that – and ‘grey’ water (from washing dishes and clothes) on gardens is advice that should be implemented now rather than later – and voluntarily rather than compulsorily.

Longer term measures and grants to secure private water supplies

In the longer term, people with private water supplies might wish to consider making improvements to their supply which would increase the amount of water available, such as the provision of intermediate storage tanks, upgrading existing abstraction points or seeking a different source less immediately affected by dry spells such as a well.

Grants are available for assisting in the improvement of private water supplies.

Anyone interested in this should contact their local environmental health team:

• Dunoon: 01369 707120
• Rothesay: 01700 501350
• Helensburgh: 01436 658918
• Lochgilphead: 01546 604776
• Oban: 01631 567947
• Email: envhealth@argyll-bute.gov.uk
• Visit the relevant pages of Argyll and Bute Council’s website.