Water scarcity: River ban extended in eastern Scotland

The River Ythan is one of the latest areas to see a ban on water extraction by businesses

A new ban on taking water from rivers has come into force in eastern Scotland.

Water abstraction licences will be suspended on the River Tyne in East Lothian, River Ythan in Aberdeenshire and the Lower Tweed in the Borders.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said the move was needed to aid their recovery from critically low water levels.

A ban on businesses taking water from the Upper Tweed has now been lifted.

Sepa monitors river levels across the country throughout the summer and has seen evidence of a east-west split this year.

Abstraction is the process of taking water from a river, loch or other natural source.

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Fife was the first area affected by an abstraction ban on the River Eden. It was then lifted while one was imposed on the River Tweed.

New suspensions will come into force from Thursday on the Tyne, Ythan and Lower Tweed catchments.

Sepa stressed that they would be in place for the "minimum time necessary".

Head of water and planning Nathan Critchlow-Watton said: "In the affected areas the current conditions are extremely serious and, without action, there is a substantial risk of impacts on fish populations, natural habitats and longer-term damage to watercourses.

"We recognise the impacts caused by suspending water abstractions, however it is action we cannot avoid.

"The sustainability of local water environments is vital to everyone, including farmers, and we continue to work closely with all those who rely on them to ensure they are protected."