Scottish water supplies normal after alert

Thousands of Scots who were told not to drink their tap water following an aluminium alert have been told supplies are now back to normal.

Residents in 12,000 homes in the Greater Glasgow and Stirling area were yesterday advised not to drink or cook with the water after "higher than expected" levels of aluminium were found.

Scottish Water carried out intensive work to flush the mains system and said that water quality in the affected parts of Strathblane, Blanefield, Mugdock, Milngavie, Bearsden, Faifley, Hardgate and Cochno has now returned to normal.

Since yesterday the company has delivered around 320,000 litres of water to customers as engineers battled to resolve the problem.

It said the decision to lift the restriction on drinking the water was taken in conjunction with the consultant in public health medicine (CPHM) at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

In a statement the company said: "Scottish Water would also like to apologise to customers for this inconvenience and thank them for their patience."

It said that some customers in Faifley may still face disruption to their supply due to a burst on the network which engineers are working to resolve.

They are being offered bottled water at a local collection point.

During the alert customers were told that water should not be used for drinking, food preparation, making babies' feeds, brushing teeth or for pets.

However it could still be used for washing clothes, baths and showers and for flushing toilets.

Last night Dr Eleanor Anderson, consultant in public health medicine at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), said: "We and Health Protection Scotland colleagues are working closely with Scottish Water and are satisfied that all appropriate measures were put in place as soon as the higher-than-expected levels of aluminium in the water were identified.

"It is unlikely that anyone who has drunk or cooked with the water will experience any immediate or long-term health effects. Water drunk before midnight on Thursday will not have been affected.

"If, however, anyone from the affected areas develops gastro-intestinal symptoms within the next 24 hours, such as diarrhoea and vomiting and are concerned, they should contact their GP or NHS24."