Water scarcity alert issued for more rivers amid low rainfall

A water scarcity alert has been issued for more river catchments in Scotland amid low rainfall and warm temperatures.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said on Thursday the water scarcity level across the east of Scotland has been raised to “alert”, meaning pressure on rivers is building fast.

It means 17 river catchments in Scotland are now at alert level for water scarcity, with only the Inner Hebrides at “normal conditions”.

Shetland has joined most of Scotland at “early warning”, according to Sepa, which advises fixing leaks, cutting back on non-essential use, and monitoring water use.

A statement from Sepa said: “The latest water situation, published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, shows the water scarcity level across the east of Scotland has been raised to ‘alert’, meaning that pressure on rivers is building fast.

“Shetland has now joined most of the rest of the country at early warning, with only the Inner Hebrides now at normal conditions following rain over the last few days.

“April continued to be a dry month with the majority of Scotland recording less rainfall than average. Parts of Aberdeenshire recorded less than a third of average April rainfall.

“Many areas have now experienced prolonged periods of below average rainfall, for example the Dundee area has had below average rainfall for 11 consecutive months.

“Conditions are becoming increasingly dry across the country with river levels well below or below normal for this time of year.”

River catchments on alert are the Conon, Spey, Deveron, Ythan, Don and Dee in Aberdeenshire, the Esk, Firth of Tay, Firth of Forth, Almond, and Tyne in Lothian, the Tweed and Esk in Dumfries and Galloway, and the Annan, Thurso, Shin and Naver.

Eilidh Johnston, senior manager for regulation, business and environment at Sepa, said: “We’re seeing the early signs of water scarcity again this spring. We know from experience that these conditions can escalate quickly.

“Scotland’s climate is changing – rainfall is less predictable and water isn’t always available where and when it’s needed.

“We are urging all businesses that take water from the environment – including farmers, food producers, construction and industry – to take action now to avoid problems later.

“We know that the demand for water peaks as we move in to summer, so it’s vital that all abstractors and water users stay informed and work together to safeguard our water resources.”