Health chiefs have confirmed there is no evidence the public water supply in Strathspey has caused an increase in visits to GPs by patients suffering from skin complaints.
Residents reported symptoms during a public consultation process involving Scottish Water’s plans to treat water with the controversial chloramination process of adding ammonia to the supply of 10,000 homes.
The utility has insisted that daily monitoring of the supply has given it no reason for concern. It has conceded, however, that it was slow to respond to public concerns about smell and taste.
10-year-old Aviemore schoolboy Kelly Wilson was pictured swathed in bandages to protect his skin from severe eczema. It is unclear if the water supply has worsened his condition.
One customer suggested in a question-answer session that the utility had side-stepped such issues by referring health concerns to the local health board.
But Scottish Water chief executive Douglas Millican stressed that while it has the necesary expertise to do its job it is duty-bound to liaise with NHS Highland on such matters.
“We’re not medical practitioners,” he said.
Scottish Water’s chief operating officer Peter Farrer added: “Questions about health concerns, particularly skin issues, are frustrating because we can’t answer questions about health – that’s a matter for NHS Highland.
“We consult with them on our proposals and we have yet to do that as part of this engagement process.”
A spokesman for NHS Highland said: “We’ve no concerns at the moment. There’s been no increase in referrals but our advice is that if there are any concerns people should see their GP in the first instance.”
