Water scarcity warning across Scotland after drier than usual May
Scottish Water is now urging customers to consider how much water they're using
People across Scotland are being urged to think carefully about how much water they are using, with water scarcity set to increase rapidly.
Scotland saw less than half its usual rainfall last month, and The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has now put most of the country on early warning of water scarcity.
Loch Maree in the Highlands has recorded extremely low river flows, Sepa said, and it has been put on a moderate scarcity alert.
The surrounding areas of the north-west Highlands, extending down to Loch Ness, are also experiencing very low river levels.
Almost all of the country is covered by the water scarcity warning
Only north Aberdeenshire remains at normal conditions for the time being, the agency said.
Scotland saw only 44% of the long-term average rainfall across the country in May, and with forecasts for the next week involving little rain, Sepa warned the water scarcity situation could escalate quickly.
Meanwhile Scottish Water has urged people to use water more efficiently, saying every Scot is using an average of 180 litres a day - which is both higher than before Covid and usage in the rest of the UK.
It said that is putting a strain on water supplies, with average reservoir levels across Scotland at 85% - 4% lower than average for this time of year and 6% lower than this time last year.
"Water is always worth saving year-round"
Keith Sinclair, of Scottish Water, told Greatest Hits Radio News: "Water is always worth saving year-round, but particularly so with weather like we’re seeing at the moment.
“So we’d ask everyone to do all they can around the home and garden to help us keep the water flowing normally to their taps.
“We believe that a large part of the additional water use is within gardens, so we would ask customers just to be mindful about how much water customers are using in outdoor spaces such as their lawns.”
Farmers and golf course owners urged to only use the water they need
He also offered some tips for how people can save water: “Using a watering can instead of a garden hose wherever possible. You can also take shorter showers, turn the tap off while brushing teeth, use the washing machine or dishwasher only when fully loaded, and use a bucket and sponge rather than a hose to wash the car.”
Sepa has urged farmers and golf course owners to only use the water they need.
Nathan Critchlow-Watton, head of water and planning at the agency, said: "This is a crucial time of year for water demand, but with no rain in the forecast we cannot rule out needing to impose restrictions over the summer.
"Abstractors must manage water wisely in the coming weeks and months and should already have contingency plans in place in case restrictions are needed to avoid long-term damage to the environment and fish populations."