Orkney water supply network delivers broadband

Homes and businesses on the Orkney island of Papa Westray are now receiving broadband services via the island’s water network.

Contractor, CloudNet, has laid the broadband cables within the existing water pipes of the island's community-owned water system, to provide fibre broadband to almost all of the island’s population of about 90 people.

The project received Scottish government funding, as a more efficient and less disruptive alternative to conventional cable laying methods.

The fibre broadband cable is housed in a second pipe within the drinking water network.