Callanish Stones water pipes

Scottish Water has pledged to upgrade decrepit pipes in the neighbouring Callanish and Breasclete areas of Lewis following an outcry by residents.

Repeated bursts in the creaking old network is disrupting services at the Callanish Stones visitor centre, the busiest tourist attraction in the Hebrides and an important employer in the district.

Over 30,000 people pop in for refreshments after visiting the adjacent, world-famous ancient megaliths. But a series of water shortages meant the community-run facility risked turning coach loads of tourists away after water shortages on a number of occasions at the height of the summer.

Staff are forced to resort to contingency arrangements like using bottled water for cooking and making teas but large quantities of water is required for washing up and operation of toilets.

Angry residents threatened to refuse to pay their water rates until Scottish Water sorted out the problems.

Isles MSP Alasdair Allan said the utility company had promised to renew the pipes after a face-to face meeting with them in Stornoway.

The MSP also raised water supply problems in other parts in the islands.

Mr Alan said: "Scottish Water have invested in a great number of improvements in the islands in the last couple of years.

“That said, there are a number of places I still get mail about water problems, and these were subjects I raised with Scottish Water.”

He explained: “Firstly, I have received a number of complaints about the repeated interruption this year to the water supply in the Callanish and Breasclate areas of Lewis. Scottish Water have now undertaken to replace the ageing system in this area by the end of this year.”

Mr Allan added: "Other issues I raised included the loss of water pressure in some areas including Ness, which Scottish Water hope to remedy once major work is undertaken around the Habost area.

"Another long-running issue has been the taste of the water in Berneray and Scottish Water are currently engaged on works to scour the system there to improve this.

"I hope we are now making progress on some of these fronts, and remain happy to pursue any concerns people have in their own areas of the Western Isles."

Bryan Barrett, chairman of Callanish Visitors Centre was delighted to hear the news.

He said: “That’s brilliant because we would have it very difficult to suffer the same problem going into the next season.”

He highlighted: “We came very close to shutting because we felt we couldn’t fulfil our food safety obligations without running water.”

Plans to replace Callanish water pipes 5/9/11

Water supply disruptions threatened to close the Callanish Visitor Centre