Sepa warns of early signs of water scarcity as dry spell continues
Early signs of water scarcity are emerging in parts of Scotland amid ongoing dry weather, an environment watchdog has warned.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said businesses must take action to manage their water usage, ensuring they have adapted for climate resilience.
In its latest Water Situation Update, the agency said March saw below-average rainfall across most of the country.
It said some areas in the south of Scotland saw less than a third of what they would usually expect, following the trend raised in Sepa's winter water situation report for 2025.
Parts of Angus and Fife have seen 10 months of below-average rainfall, having had less than half of what is normal for March, and only Shetland recorded above-average rainfall.
Sepa said rivers throughout Scotland are running low to extremely low for the time of year, and groundwater levels are dipping further.
Levels are lower than those recorded in April 2022, with Fife and Angus being the worst off in Scotland.
The only area of the country with groundwater levels above normal for the time of year is Moray, reflecting the higher-than-average rainfall in this area over the winter period, the agency said.
Kenny Boag, Sepa's head of environmental performance, said: 'Water scarcity is becoming a growing challenge in Scotland, and the data from March shows there is an increased risk that water scarcity could occur early in the season this year.
'As part of our commitment to helping Scotland become more climate resilient, we'll continue to monitor the situation closely.
'Following on from this water situation update, our weekly water scarcity reporting will begin in May, unless the situation deteriorates sooner.
'This will provide regular updates on conditions to ensure businesses can prepare for any potential challenges ahead.'
He added: 'We'll continue to work closely with Scottish Government, businesses and key stakeholders – including the agricultural sector, industry and Scottish Water – over the coming months to monitor water levels, manage resources sustainably, support adaptation measures and ensure the correct balance is struck between protecting the environment and providing resources for human and economic activity.'
Sepa's three-year, corporate plan highlights climate resilience as a strategic priority for the agency, helping businesses and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change and build in resilience to extreme weather events.
It said 2024 was an exception, where Scotland did not experience any significant water scarcity, due to better rainfall patterns.
Scottish Water assured the general public that the scarcity does not affect reservoir water supplies, but said it will mainly affect those in the agriculture sector, such as farmers and fruit and vegetable growers.
They said total reservoir storage sat at 92% across Scotland as of last week, a 2% increase on the week before, but added the overall level is 3% down from the average of 95% for this time of year across Scotland.
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: 'We continually monitor our water resources and reservoir levels across the country are on average at slightly below the levels we would expect for this time of year.
'We would remind our customers that water is a precious resource which is always worth saving and it's good at any time of year if people use only the water they need and think about how they use it.
'Things they can do to save water include taking shorter showers and turning the tap off when brushing teeth.'
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'This warning from Sepa highlights the ongoing impact of climate change on our water resources.
'The Scottish Government will continue to work with Sepa, Scottish Water and key stakeholders to monitor and manage water availability to ensure supply is supported in an effective and sustainable way.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Edinburgh braced for week of wind and rain as scorching heatwave comes to an end
Edinburgh is set to say goodbye to the sunshine with wet and windy weather on the forecast for the coming week. The Met Office is predicting an end to hot and dry conditions and is instead telling locals to get ready for showers, with rain expected to begin at 7pm on Saturday, May 24. It will be good news to some, however, after warnings were issued following a prolonged dry period. SEPA confirmed all of Scotland was seeing some form of water scarcity and Scottish Water urged customers to be 'more efficient' with their usage. READ MORE: Tragedy as Edinburgh police find body in search for missing Midlothian man READ MORE: Tragedy as Edinburgh man suddenly dies at Princes Street premises Temperatures will remain warm, with high's of 19C on Saturday but showers or even longer periods of rain can be expected during the night. Sunday is set to see cooler and fresher temperatures, sunny intervals and scattered showers which could be heavy rain at times, and brisk winds. On Monday, May 26, people can expect sunny intervals and showers with highs of 14C, on Tuesday, cloudy skies, more rain and highs of 15C. Wednesday will have even more showers, turning into sunny intervals in the afternoon with high's of 17C. Looking ahead, the Met Office is predicting prolonged periods of rain, wind and above average temperatures between Wednesday, May 28 and Friday, June 6. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox They said: "Likely continuing changeable with further frontal systems running east into the UK bringing further spells of rain, with showery interludes in-between. "Strong winds may also develop at times, particularly in the north and northwest. With time the signs are that systems will increasingly track to the northwest of the country, with the south starting to see longer, drier interludes while the northwest continues to see more in the way of rain and at times strong winds. "Temperatures are expected to be slightly above average overall, but will be cooler in any prolonged periods of rainfall. "Meanwhile there is the possibility of some very warm, perhaps hot conditions developing, especially in the south and these bring with them the chance of thunderstorms." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Why does Scotland use more water than the rest of the UK?
People in Scotland have been told to use water supplies sparingly after the driest start to the year since 1964. But supplier Scottish Water is also warning that the country's relationship with water is unsustainable in the long run. This is because the average person in Scotland uses about 40% more water than the average person in Yorkshire. So why does Scotland use more water than the rest of the UK? Scotland has some of the wettest parts of the UK, so it is perhaps counterintuitive to think about it as a country facing water scarcity. One challenge is the fact that only around 1% of the country's infamous rainfall is captured in reservoirs. Another supply issue is that Scotland gets through so much water compared to the rest of the UK. Figures from regulator Ofwat show that in 2023/24 an average of 140.4 litres of water per person per day was used in England and Wales. Yorkshire Water's rate in this period was 126.9 litres per day, while Northumbrian Water was 154.7 litres per day. By contrast, Scottish Water's consumption rate was an average of 178 litres per day. The way Scots pay for water offers one possible explanation for the bigger consumption rates. About half of households in England and Wales have a water meter, so they only pay for the amount they use, plus a standing charge. Only a small number of Scottish households have water meters. Instead, most pay for water and sewerage services as part of their council tax, with the amount linked to their property's council tax band. This means that for many in Scotland the only time they see how much they pay for water is when they see the annual council tax statement. Research has shown that households with meters use less water as they are more aware of how much their usage is costing them. A fact rolled out on most school trips to Loch Ness is that it contains more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined. In a country with 30,000 freshwater lochs, water scarcity is not usually high on the agenda. But it is this perception of abundance that troubles Scottish Water's chief executive Alex Plant. Speaking to the BBC podcast ScotCast in February, he said: "We're at a point where we are really worried, collectively as a nation, about the sufficiency of our water supply. "So we should be thinking about water not as plentiful and abundant and you don't need to worry about it, and more as something that is a precious resource. "Part of it is this mindset that we assume it's abundant and therefore we don't worry about it too much." He added: "I think another reason is that almost nobody in Scotland understands how much water they're using because we pay through our council tax (and) we don't understand the amount we're using." Scotland is also facing more frequent spells without rain. Climate change models predict that summers in Scotland will likely become drier, with a potential decrease of 10% to 20% in summer rainfall. An opinion polling by Consumer Scotland suggests most consumers (77%) in Scotland are concerned about climate change. However, only around one in five (19%) are concerned about how much water is used in their home. Creating a better understanding of the link between the impact of climate change and water usage is what Mr Plant wants to address. Although households are the biggest users of water in Scotland, its industrial uses are also a factor in the overall consumption rates. Water - both rainfall and surface water - is critical to the production of the country's most famous export, whisky. This is why distilleries are paying close attention to projections that suggest there will be double the frequency of low river flow events by 2050. Elsewhere, water from rivers and burns is also vital to Scotland's agricultural sector. Soft fruit and vegetable production, mainly based in the south and east of the country, often requires large volumes of water to irrigate crops. This is especially true in dry periods like the current one. Heavy industry like chemical plants are also big consumers of water, with the Grangemouth industrial complex historically one of the biggest daily users of mains water in the UK. Part of Scottish Water's plan to try and get Scotland's consumption rates closer to English rates is to get people thinking about the water they use. The utility firm is embarking on a pilot project in Dundee to install "smart" monitors for around 2,000 homes over a three-year period. It is hoped this will help customers understand their water usage and improve Scottish Water's ability to find and fix leaks. Mr Plant said: "It's a monitor rather than a meter because you're not going to pay for it. "We'd be able to start showing people what they're using, not to charge by the usage, but just to show people what they are using. "Understanding what you're using encourages a different relationship with the thing you're using."
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Families told to ‘take short showers and turn off tap while brushing teeth'
Families have been told to take short showers and turn off the tap while brushing teeth to protect Scotland's water reserves. The advice to use supplies sparingly has been issued by Scottish Water after the driest start to the year since 1964. The firm said Scotland – a country that usually gets more than its fair share of rainfall – had been using around an extra 150 million litres of water a day since the middle of April. It estimates that reservoir levels in some parts are up to 10 per cent lower than average. Alex Plant, Scottish Water's chief executive, said the average person in Scotland is using about 40 per cent more water than the average person in Yorkshire, which he warned is 'not a sustainable position'. Guidance offered by Scottish Water includes cutting out lengthy showers and not leaving the tap running when brushing teeth. It estimates that knocking two minutes off a daily shower can save over 5,000 litres each year and cleaning teeth with the tap on wastes five litres of water a minute. It recommends using washing machines and dishwashers only when fully loaded and using a bucket and sponge rather than a hose to wash cars. Scottish Water said a large amount of additional water use is in gardens but has stopped short of imposing a full hosepipe ban, which was last implemented in Scotland in 1995. Instead, people are advised to use a watering can instead of a garden hose and avoid using sprinklers. Scotland has been basking in temperatures of around 25C for the past week and forecasters do not expect rainfall until at least 22 May. The hottest day of the year so far north of the border was recorded on Tuesday in Auchincruvie, in South Ayrshire, and Tyndrum, in Stirlingshire, where temperatures soared to 25.5C. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency said 23 areas surrounding major bodies of water – including the Clyde, Dee, Firth of Forth and Firth of Tay – were experiencing some level of water scarcity. A number of areas, including Potterton near Aberdeen, Turnberry in South Ayrshire and Balfron in west Stirlingshire are having normal water supplies boosted by tankers. In Moray, borehole supplies from the River Spey are being boosted by pumping water directly from the river to maintain normal levels. Mr Plant told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that there was 'good resilience' in the water supply and while a hosepipe ban remained 'some way off', it was a measure that could be considered. He added: 'We think about it being wetter here that in other parts of the UK, and of course it is but we are not immune to these changing weather patterns and we all need to just think a bit differently about it.' Mr Plant said 'simple steps' would help maintain normal supplies, saying Scotland's climate as a whole is changing. From January to April the country had only 59 per cent of its long-term average rainfall, with May's figures on track to be even lower. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
