Scottish Water has been dealing with up to triple levels of customer calls as a result of the current extreme winter weather conditions Scotland has been facing in recent days.
The company said that with a thaw and then another fall in temperatures forecast, it has mobilised its resources to address any issues which might arise from the weather conditions. The firm has already seen a significant increase in the number of calls from customers in the past few days and as the thaw progresses it is anticipating an increase in the number of burst pipes.
Peter Farrer, Scottish Water’s director of customer service delivery, said:
“The snow is making repairs difficult but we are getting out to the most necessary repairs as a priority. Our focus is on restoring water supply to customers who have no water as a result of burst water mains.
“We are already seeing higher levels of calls – yesterday we had 6,000 – more than three times the normal level – and we are expecting more issues to come with any thaw or other extreme temperatures.
“We would like to re-assure our customers that we have put contingencies in place to meet the challenges. We have manpower, vehicles and materials in place so repairs are performed as soon as possible.”
The extra resources include 4x4 vehicles, staff volunteering to do overtime in our customer contact centre and extra repair materials. Many of Scottish Water’s engineers have been working around the clock, in sub-zero temperatures, to ensure that customers are kept in supply.
The depth and volume of snow affecting many areas is also an issue for the company’s staff , with access to sites and water mains often hampered by snow, ice and transport issues.
As part of its winter strategy plans, Scottish Water has actively promoted its winter warmer advice, including a series of new online films which provides advice on how to locate a stop valve, insulate pipes and what to do if a pipe bursts or freezes. Visit : www.scottishwater.co.uk/warmpipes
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