Water scarcity alert issued to east of Scotland businesses

The risk of water scarcity in parts of the east of Scotland has increased to alert level, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has warned.

Sepa said it has continued to get drier in Dundee, Fife, Falkirk, East Lothian and northeast Aberdeenshire.

It said most of the west of Scotland was experiencing normal conditions.

Alert level requires businesses which rely on water from the environment to take action to ensure they are being efficient.

Industries which rely on a consistent water source include farming, golf, whisky production, and hydropower energy.

Sepa's head of water and planning Nathan Critchlow-Watton said the situation in the east was due to a combination of dry ground conditions and low river flows.

He said: "Businesses can play their part to protect the environment by following our advice on using water efficiently and having a plan for when resources start to deplete."

He warned water scarcity would become a more regular occurrence in Scotland as a result of climate change.