Water scarcity in Scotland gets more acute
The water scarcity position in Scotland has got worse despite a week of thunderstorms. Suspension of abstraction is increasingly under consideration.
The Scottish Environment Agency has forecast that 28 out of 83 areas (a third) will be at Significant water scarcity level by the end of this month (June).
Part of the River Esk area in Dumfries and Galloway is the second in the country to reach the highest water scarcity level according to the most recent report published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. It joins Loch Maree in the Highlands, which remains at top level for a third week.
The Conon river area in the Highlands and the Outer Hebrides have now been escalated to Moderate Scarcity, where the southwest and much of central Scotland remain. Without further rainfall, these areas risk reaching Significant. The rest of the country is in Alert level.
Authorised water abstractors in Loch Maree and River Esk areas already have conditions as part of their permits to protect the environment against low river flows, and no additional restrictions are required by SEPA.
However, as further areas reach Significant water scarcity, the agency recognizes that action will be required to protect the sustainability of local water environments. It is working to avoid full suspensions on abstractions; where possible, measures to significantly reduce the volume of water taken from rivers and lochs will be implemented.
Head of water and planning at SEPA, Nathan Critchlow-Watton said: “This is a temporary position, recognising the impact suspensions can have on businesses, but it’s important abstractors understand the need to work with us now and in future years to adapt to water scarcity.”
Water scarcity has started to become a political issue with Conservative MSPs claiming that the government has ignored SEPA warnings last year about a looming scarcity crisis and faulty infrastructure leaking 185 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water daily. MSPs raised the issue in the Scottish Parliament and demanded to know why ministers had cut Scottish Water’s budget by £8 million since 2021.
Cabinet minister for net zero and just transition Màiri McAllan insisted: “ There is no part of the very important work that SEPA and Scottish Water do in this regard that the government ignores—it is quite the opposite. We are in almost constant contact with SEPA”.
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