OIC offer advice on how to reduce water consumption

With low water levels reported elsewhere in Scotland, Orkney Islands Council is offering some handy tips to people in the county with private water supplies – in case they experience similar problems later in the year.

Private Water Supply users can follow the tips below to help reduce their water consumption:

• Always make it a full load when you use your washing machine or dishwasher. Miss just one wash a week and you’ll save over 5,000 litres of water a year.
• Flushing the toilet accounts for about a third of all the water we use in our homes. Install a Save-a-flush bag in your toilet cistern and you could save 1 litre of water each time you flush.
• Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth.
• When making a cup of tea only boil as much water as you need, this saves water as well as energy.
• Wash vegetables in a bowl, not under a running tap. Running a tap for 1 minute uses 10 litres of water.
• Take a shower instead of a bath, but remember, a power shower can use twice as much water as a bath.
• Collect rainwater in water butts and buckets to use in the garden

“It’s important to stress no problems with private water supplies in Orkney have been reported to us,” said Environmental Health Manager David Brown.

“But we are aware of supply shortages for some private water sources in other areas of Scotland, due to the relatively dry weather over recent weeks.

“If any private water users in Orkney do start to have supply problems, they are encouraged to contact us as soon as possible for assistance. It has happened in the past and so we thought it timely to providing some advice to help residents with private supplies reduce consumption.”

For assistance, email Env.Health@orkney.gov.uk or phone 01856 873535 Ext 2801.

Updates on water supplies from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency can be found at: www.sepa.org.uk/environment/water/water-scarcity/

General advice for those on private supplies can be found at: www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/P/Private-Water-Supply-Analysis.htm

Or: www.mygov.scot/housing-local-services/water-supplies-sewerage/private-water-supplies/