Disruption to the water supply in the north-east has been experienced today as wintry conditions set in.
Residents in Inverurie have reported water outages as temperatures in Aberdeenshire dipped to as low as -23C this morning.
The mercury drop was recorded in Braemar at 8.13am this morning.
Last night was the #coldest night in the UK since 30 December 1995 🥶🧤
Braemar in Aberdeenshire fell to -23.0°C pic.twitter.com/wdpzQCarTo
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 11, 2021
Scottish Water has said there is disruption to the water supply for those living in the AB21 postcode area of Aberdeen.
Issues have also been reported in Westhill in the AB32 postcode area, in Inverurie and on Gardener Road in the Kincorth area.
Due to freezing weather conditions we are experiencing water supply issues across Scotland so it may take us a little longer to get to you. We continue to be focused on resolving customer issues and ensuring impact is kept to a minimum during this period. https://t.co/WFbkYrjHGY pic.twitter.com/lJ84AOjA9c
— Scottish Water (@scottish_water) February 11, 2021
A Scottish Water spokesman said: “Our field teams across the north-east are working hard to respond to the impacts of the extreme low temperatures on our water networks and the customers they serve.
“Over the past week we have repaired around 270 bursts across Scotland, which is around 60% above normal levels for the time of year.
“We have had teams responding to a number of bursts across the region this morning, seeking to locate and isolate damaged sections of pipe, restore supplies as quickly as possible and carry out repairs.
“We would like to apologise to customers who are experiencing disruption to their water supply and assure them that we are doing all we can to restore normal service.
“As for all essential public service providers, the weather conditions are making our work more challenging and we’re grateful for the patience and support of the communities we serve at this time.”
The water board has urged those affected to contact them via 0800 0778 778 or by their online contact form.
Advice from Scottish Water on making homes ‘winter ready’
Scottish Water has offered some helpful tips for customers to ensure they are best protected and homes are “winter ready”.
Heating
When temperatures are low, leave your heating on a low setting, or set it to come on a couple of times a day.
Insulate
Pipes don’t like the cold – whether they are outdoor or indoor, metal or plastic, new or old.
Making sure pipes and water tanks are properly insulated is one of the simplest, and cheapest, things you can do to help protect your property from the cold.
Do you know where your stop valve is located?
Your stop valve controls the water supply entering your home. It normally closes by turning clockwise and we recommend that you check this every few months to ensure that it can be opened and closed easily.
Protect
If you’re going away then make sure you have someone who can regularly check for any problems.
If your neighbours don’t have a key for your home make sure they have contact details for someone who does in case of an emergency.
If your property is going to be vacant over the winter months, turn off your water supply and drain the system – a licensed plumber should be able to give you advice about this.
Even when your home is winter ready sometimes damage can happen, so make sure you have adequate building and contents insurance.