Orkney on “alert” for water scarcity

Orkney has enjoyed a beautiful spell of summer weather – but a prolonged dry period comes hand in hand with its own issues.

The Council would reiterate the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) and Scottish Water’s plea for customers to be mindful of how much water they are using as water supplies have been depleted.

The rainfall yesterday is expected to do little to alleviate the current water scarcity situation and dry weather is expected to dominate into late June and early July in many parts of Scotland.

Find out more here: https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/water/water-scarcity/

The Council’s Corporate Director of Neighbourhood Services and Infrastructure, Hayley Green, said: “With our climate, you might think there is always going to be plenty of water to go around, however, we can suffer from water shortages too. Although rainwater can replenish rivers, lochs and reservoirs quickly, when there is a dry spell water levels can also drop rapidly.

“Please pay heed to the advice being shared by SEPA and Scottish Water in terms of careful use of water – it’s something we should all be mindful of not just at this time of year, but as a matter of course in everyday life.”

Advice includes:

• Refraining from watering lawns – brown grass will quickly recover.
• Take shorter showers.
• Turn off the tap when brushing teeth.
• Only use dishwashers and washing machines when full.
• Use a bucket and sponge to wash your car – not a hose.

Further tips on using water wisely can be found at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/your-home/save-water