Scotland’s First Minister will pile pressure on Scottish Water after The Courier revealed a Perthshire community’s supply is tainted with potentially deadly bacteria.
Alex Salmond pledged to step in after it emerged dozens of households in Tummel Bridge, near Pitlochry, have been told not to use their tap water for drinking, washing or even showering after it failed a series of rigorous assessments.
Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser raised the issue with the SNP leader at Holyrood on Thursday.
The Mid Scotland and Fife representative said: “The water supply to more than 50 homes in the Tummel Bridge area of Perthshire has been found to be contaminated with E. coli and Salmonella, which presents clear health risks to the local population.
“Will the First Minister undertake to speak to Scottish Water and ask it to take urgent action to ensure that the long-awaited replacement water supply can be put in place without further delay, so that my constituents no longer have to rely on bottled water for drinking and cooking?”
Mr Salmond replied: “I will, today, secure from Scottish Water a further update on its efforts to secure the water supply in Murdo Fraser’s area. I will communicate that update to him as quickly as possible.”
A spokesman for the corporation said they had received no contact from the Scottish Government when contacted by The Courier.
He added that work was being done to get the supply up and running, although he still could not provide a date after the firm missed its October 20 target.
Scottish Water chiefs have spent nearly four years trying to connect the homes to a clean mains supply.
Properties are linked to a private water supply provided by Scottish and Southern Energy which runs the nearby hydro plant.
Locals have known their water has been unsafe for more than three years and have spent a small fortune up to £600 a year in some cases on bottled water.