Emergencies & Unplanned Changes to Service

Guidance to Licensed Providers on Interruption to Supply

Interruption to Supply (ITS) incidents occur from time to time, and Scottish Water has established internal procedures that aim to minimise the impact on customers and bring them back into supply as soon as possible. When an ITS does occur, Scottish Water has an obligation to prioritise a supply of water for domestic purposes and, in particular, to those customers classified as vulnerable.

The key elements of our approach when dealing with an ITS are as follows:

• Prioritise a supply of water to customers for domestic purposes, and in particular to those customers on the Priority Services Register and to Sensitive Customers, e.g., hospitals, care homes.
•  Provide alternative water supplies to non-domestic customer sites out with the above classifications, only where we are able, and on the basis that the provision of alternative supplies during an incident is not guaranteed
•  Where we are unable to provide alternative water supplies to non-domestic customers, we may direct the customer to their Licensed Provider for assistance, but only on the basis that the Licensed Provider may be able to help. We take this approach as some Licensed Providers do offer an alternative water supply service to their customers
• Storage: Although there is no legal requirement for non-domestic customers to have on-site water storage, we consider it good practice to help mitigate any supply loss resulting from an ITS incident, whether it is planned or unplanned. It is, however, up to every customer to decide as to what level of water storage and design is appropriate for their own premises. Guidance on water storage systems is provided under the Water Byelaws regulations (in particular clause 16 (5)).

The detailed, operational co-ordination arrangements between Scottish Water and Licensed Providers in relation to an ITS are set out in processes 19-21A of the Operational Code.