Water shipped to Shetland after lack of rainfall

The island communities of Bruary and Housay in Out Skerries have a population of about 70

Five tankers of water will be shipped to a group of Scottish islands every week to ensure water supplies do not run out.

Scottish Water has started sending boats with treated water to Out Skerries in Shetland after a lack of rainfall left reservoir and storage tank water levels running low.

Water deliveries are being transported from Whalsay - four miles from the trio of islands - up to five times a week.

Deliveries will continue until supplies recover but residents are worried it could cause chaos on the local ferry.

Bruray and Housay have a combined population of about 70 people, while the third island Grunay is uninhabited.

Ferry trips cancelled

Known locally as "Skerries", the islands are the easternmost part of Shetland and popular with scuba divers and birdwatchers due to the numerous shipwrecks around the coast.

The ferry to Out Skerries runs from Vidlin or Lerwick depending on the day of the week.

But when a water tanker is on board, there is no space for other vehicles.

Janice Hughson, vice chair of the community council, told BBC Radio Shetland this has led to constrained travel for residents given the limited number of sailings.

"Some people have been booked on the ferry for a number of weeks and then they get told their booking has been cancelled because of the tanker," she said.

With the Skerries Eela Competition - an annual sea-fishing and social event - due to be held on Bruary on Saturday, she said the water shortage had come at the worst possible time as people would struggle to come in and out of the area.

There is no natural loch on Skerries so residents rely on a rainwater collection channel, which drains into a manmade reservoir.

A water shortage had previously occurred in 2002, but water was shipped on a different vessel to the ferry to reduce the risk of transport issues.

But Scottish Water's team lead for Shetland Jim Anderson told the Good Evening Shetland show that the current decision was made after "a number of checks" to secure the supply.

He said this would continue for "as long as the dry spell lasts and it starts raining".

A Scottish Water spokesperson said: "Arrangements are being made to ship in enough Raw Water to supply the Water Treatment Works for three to four weeks at the beginning of August as a further precaution.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and support the community.

"At this time, there are no other water supplies in Shetland on our risk register."