Sponsored article: Understand the risk of water scarcity in your area and to your business. Plan Ahead.
The summer months are a crucial time of year for water demand. Abstractors and irrigators are advised to manage water wisely to minimise the need for restrictions.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are responsible for forecasting, monitoring and reporting the situation facing Scotland’s water resources and publishes regular water scarcity reports outlining the conditions facing the country. Their 2023 Winter Situation Report revealed winter has been drier than average across most of the country, in contrast to a mostly wet autumn.
How much rain and snow falls over this time can have a major influence on water resources during the summer months. There is a higher risk of water scarcity if stores in the ground, lochs and reservoirs haven’t been sufficiently built-up.
Scotland’s changing climate
Although a country famed worldwide for its natural water environment and wet weather, the reality is water is not an infinite resource in Scotland. Climate change is bringing hotter, drier summers and is forcing the nation to change its relationship with water. The number of extreme drought events is projected to increase from one every 20 years to one every 2 years by 2050.
Significant impacts from water scarcity were apparent during 2021 and 2022, particularly in the east of the country. Old Pulteney in Wick is one of Scotland’s most northernly mainland whisky distilleries and relies solely on Loch Hempriggs to supply its water for production. In Summer 2021, operators could see water levels at the loch were perilously low. Instead of waiting for regulatory action, the distillery worked with SEPA and followed advice on managing the resource. Production was voluntarily halted, and personnel were instead deployed to other maintenance tasks to ensure lost production days were made up efficiently once water supplies increased again.
Advice ahead of this summer
Thriving, successful and sustainable Scottish businesses will be those that recognise the link between environmental and economic prosperity. Part of that is the critical role of managing our water resources.
- Understand the risk of water scarcity to your business.
- Check SEPA’s website and regular water scarcity reports so you are aware of the water situation in your area.
- Always monitor your water usage and plan for managing it efficiently in a range of conditions, with equipment kept in good working order.
- Work out the costs and benefits of extraction and the value of water to your business. This will help you to plan investments in equipment and infrastructure.
- Consider if there are more innovative ways of working that would improve your water use efficiency.
For further advice, visit www.sepa.org.uk/waterscarcitySEPA
This article contains paid-for content supplied by SEPA.
