Laxdale drinking water may be contaminated with sewage 11/1/12
400 properties on Lewis have been instructed to boil their drinking water by Dr Ken Oates, Consultant in Public Health Medicine NHS Highland and Scottish Water.
A burst water main resulted in a loss of supply to some customers in the Laxdale and Marybank areas yesterday afternoon.
Scottish Water isolated the main and excavated to perform a repair. During the repair it was discovered that it lay in the same trench as a sewer which had been damaged.
The sewer has been repaired and the water main is currently under repair. Supplies are being restored this morning after the main has been flushed and cleaned.
As a precautionary measure to address any potential risk to water quality, affected customers are being advised to boil their water until samples are taken to confirm that the water meets the strict parameters specified by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR).
Customers in the affected areas should have received a leaflet through their door from Scottish Water last night advising them to boil their water until further notice.
If customers have not received a leaflet and their address is not in the affected postcode list then their water is safe to drink. Any customers who are unsure or need further assistance should call the Scottish Water Customer Helpline on 0845 601 88 55.
Dr Ken Oates, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, NHS Highland, said: "We are advising residents of Stornoway who are affected by this burst water main to boil their water before drinking until Scottish Water perform standard lab testing to check the supply meets the necessary parameters.
“Our priority is to ensure that public health is protected and that the water meets the necessary standards. This precautionary measure is standard procedure and residents should not be alarmed."
Scottish Water apologises to local residents in Stornoway for the inconvenience caused and are working hard to restore the supplies to normal. Any customers requiring assistance should call the Customer Helpline on 0845 601 88 55