[Foobar]

Yeah, that's what I was getting at, if you aren't a customer then you have no contract with them and therefore they have no responsibility for providing you with their service.

And there are plenty of welsh people who are wasting water washing cars and sprinklering lawns....so let's not be anti-english


(sorry cross posted, as i delayed in hitting Save!)

[Foobar]

Do you know where you nearest standpipe it?  They are going to have a shortage of equipment, so if you can provide your own bowser and ask if you can fill it up from one of their stand pipes (at a ££) then you might have more luck?

[Womble]

I don't know about "risk you take", but how about "risk you have to manage yourself".


The problem is, even when you do plan for the unexpected, something even more unexpected has a habit of happening!

Personally, I'd ask them now about whether they can sell you water via a bowser if your supply does completely dry up. If they say yes, then you know you have a contingency plan. If they say no, then you know you need to get some IBCs in, and an arrangement with a friend on mains water.

[Backinwellies]

Yeah, that's what I was getting at, if you aren't a customer then you have no contract with them and therefore they have no responsibility for providing you with their service.

And there are plenty of welsh people who are wasting water washing cars and sprinklering lawns....so let's not be anti-english


(sorry cross posted, as i delayed in hitting Save!)

Firstly  I am English!!   so lets not jump to conclusions here.      I just think the government (Welsh, English and Scottish … oh and NI too incase I'm going to be accused of that too!)  …. should have provision for the water boards to supply water, at reasonable cost, to houses on own supply which has dried up completely in these very unusual conditions …. we DO NOT have the option of mains water … unless we are millionaires... or pay 1000's for bore hole. 

Please remember not everyone has the ability to transport bowsers even if you could buy one. …

[Fleecewife]

This has just appeared on the Scottish news:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-44865968
Help is being offered to people on private water supplies whose springs and wells are drying up because of the warm weather.
About 4% of Scotland's population is "off-mains" and the Scottish government says there is a growing risk of them running dry.
Ministers will make funds available to local authorities to provide emergency water to affected communities

Sorry, there is a link in there but I can't make the font size legible

[SallyintNorth]

It was announced yesterday (Radio 4 iPM) that the NW of England is being put on a hosepipe ban.

[Anke]

I'm sure it's the same in Scotland - there was a very well publicised case a few years ago (some people may remember Stonehead) where a smallholder ran out of water. Scottish water were adamant that they had no responsibility to provide water to households that were 'off grid' the guy in question was finally helped out by the local fire brigade.

It is shocking in this day and age that the powers that be can't/won't/don't have to help households not connected to the grid. Worse than a 3rd world country....

But in Scotland the water supply is NOT privatised, so the state can (and I think does) intervene, see this article on the BBC website today…


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-44865968

[farmers wife]

Its the same for many around the country.  Worth speaking to your local councillor or RABI to see what the plans are.  Better get the facts correct.  Many people are very isolated so bound to be in serious need.  Many farmers are struggling to feed their animals and already tucking into this years fodder.


No rain forecast for 2 weeks here!  Slowly running out of ground as no grass.

[honeyend]

I have rented fields with no water and I have used a 250liter baffled water tank,
https://www.tanks-direct.co.uk/250-litre-water-tank-flat.html?fee=3&fep=989&gclid=CjwKCAjwyrvaBRACEiwAcyuzRPOrz0PzPDUIJqWg-xU7nlJfn3vyxkKoMVT2qlbS_X9K3VpmDlIRvxoCSa4QAvD_BwE , with and outflow tap.
I used a hatchback, and old citroen AX which I used to fill from home and drive down a track to fill my water trough. It is time consuming but its possible to do you just need someone who will supply you with the water.
  Our neighbours are on a bore hole, the waters a bit irony so we let them use our water for the washing machine, and another neighbours got cut off through no fault of their own, so until they got a new supply we gave them water for their stock in return for hay.

[harmony]

This is a problem for many areas of the country. Here in the Lake District even.


I can't see the government and authorities standing by and watching people and animals without water. It is a basic right for us all.  It is however not going to be easy for the authorities either as the rainfall has depleted supplies so much. It is not only a hose pipe ban needed but a ban on these paddling pools/swimming pools that people have in their gardens.


Please be careful with stored water in this heat. Even water "goes off".

[Backinwellies]

Please be careful with stored water in this heat. Even water "goes off".

Also with stream water which has reduced to barely a trickle ...... Much more likely to contain dangerous levels of nasties!

[Lingon]

The heat and the drought effects wild animals to, one swedish elk hit the beach: https://www.thelocal.se/20180719/watch-elk-takes-a-dip-next-to-startled-beachgoers-in-sweden

They are normally very frightened of people, but not right now.

[Scotsdumpy]

There are parts of Aberdeenshire where water levels are at what is described as 'significant scarcity' by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, which means that there may be pressure on water supplies. Please keep using water wisely.

We are working with Scottish Water and the Scottish Government to provide bottled water and tanks to those whose private supply is running dry, at no cost. This would normally be something that we would expect owners to source themselves, but these are not normal circumstances. We are prioritising requests from those more vulnerable in the first instance. If you need help, please contact the council by emailing environmental@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or phoning 01467 539539 (during office hours). The Environmental Health Service will respond as quickly as possible to your enquiry.

Long term, the service is providing advice on looking at future solutions such as support to help connect to the mains. If that is not possible, improvements to the current source or forming a new supply can be considered. Grants may be available for some of this work.

There are over 7500 private water supplies in Aberdeenshire serving approximately 11500 properties. This is by far the highest number of any local authority in Scotland.

There is some useful advice online here: http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/you-and-your-home/your-home/water-efficiency



from Aberdeenshire council facebook

[Anke]

I think the situation in the UK is not that bad compared to this one… (in Australia)…


https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/19/you-count-your-blessings-farm-families-battling-drought-photo-essay


How are they allowed to let these animals live? In my opinion it just seems cruel to keep them alive….

[Womble]

EEEEK!  That looks terrible Anke!


I'll confess, we're not doing too badly at the moment, but it's still hard to believe that this was the road to our place less than four months ago!: