Thursday 28 March 2024
 7°C   E Moderate Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Islanders advised to boil their tap water

NHS SHETLAND and Scottish Water are advising customers on Fair Isle to boil their tap water before consuming as a precaution following a drop in the quality of the supply.

The island’s supply is normally produced using water from boreholes but has been augmented in recent days to cope with a large increase in the population, mainly due to the Tall Ships visit. Water from a burn on the island has been helping meet demand.

However, routine sampling suggests higher than normal levels of a microscopic organism called cryptosporidium, prompting the advice to customers to boil their water before consuming.

The organism is often found in rural water supplies and at low levels is not a concern.

It is thought recent weather has washed materials from the land into the burn, affecting the quality.

A Scottish water spokesman said: “Additional temporary filtration is in place and monitoring of the supply is ongoing. Once the quality returns to normal customers will be advised.”

Dr Sarah Taylor, director of public health at NHS Shetland, added: “Our top priority is the protection of public health so as a precaution we’re advising people to boil their water.

“We appreciate the inconvenience this will cause and would like to thank people for their patience while the issue is resolved.”

Customers who feel they need medical advice should contact NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.