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Water woes

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By Fiona Reid
Front
Water woes

A WARNING has been issued about water scarcity in parts of Dumfries and Galloway.

SEPA say that action is needed now to protect resources in Wigtownshire, where there is ‘significant scarcity’.

Alert levels have also been flagged for all other catchments in the south of Scotland due to the recent heatwaves and lack of rain.

And even with the weather cooling down, SEPA is still monitoring the area and said: “A short period of heavy rainfall is not sufficient to make up this shortfall of rainfall and much of it may quickly run off the dry soils without soaking in. This is why it is possible to have heavy rain and even the possibility of some surface water flooding at the same time as we are warning about water scarcity.”

Water abstractors licensed by SEPA are being told to monitor their water usage and equipment to ensure they are operating at maximum efficiency and avoiding any unnecessary leakage.

Officials are checking all abstractions in Significant Scarcity areas to determine what actions can be taken and work is ongoing with Scottish Water to protect supplies.

Anyone having difficulty obtaining water or concerned about meeting licence conditions, should contact SEPA by email at [email protected].

SEPA chief executive Terry A’Hearn said: “Everyone knows that water is a vital resource. We need to get used to the idea that, even in a water-abundant nation like Scotland, it is a finite resource – as shown by the increasing severity of the water scarcity picture in large areas of the country.

“Water scarcity is resulting in pressures on the environment and water users and businesses abstracting water must take action now to conserve water.

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