Inverness water lab protects Highlands & Islands health
Scottish Water’s £1million Inverness Laboratory was officially opened on 20 June 2008, with a pledge to protect the health of its most remote and rural customers.
What we're doing
Thousands of samples are taken from reservoirs, treatment works and customers’ taps across the region every week to be tested for dozens of different parameters. The new lab gives Scottish Water greater flexibility, better scope for analysing different qualities of water and faster reporting of the results. This ultimately means an improved service for the communities of the Highlands and Islands.
Project benefits
The laboratory was officially opened by Danny Alexander, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey.
Mr Alexander said:
“It is a great pleasure to open these new top quality testing facilities for the Highlands. Some of the erratic weather we have seen in the last few years – like long dry spells followed by heavy rain – has increased the incidence of health concerns about key water supplies.
It is important that Scottish Water is able to reassure the public that supplies are monitored and kept at a consistently high quality. That means we can all be confident that our drinking water remains among the best and the safest in the world – and that fast and appropriate action will be taken whenever problems occur.”
Geoff Aitkenhead, Scottish Water’s Asset Management Director, said:
“This is a brilliant facility which ensures a superb level of service to our customers in the Highlands and Islands. The early reporting of results for some parameters will ensure that any problems with water supplies are acted upon as soon as possible. Drinking water quality across the region is very high and will remain so. Public health protection is Scottish Water’s number one priority. Our customers deserve the same high level of service wherever they are.”
The Lab
The Inverness Laboratory is a conversion of an old Mechanical & Electrical Maintenance building at Scottish Water’s main depot in the city’s Longman Industrial Estate.
Previously Scottish Water’s sampling team would have to visit the depot and Raigmore Hospital’s labs but can now carry out all their processing work on one site.
Some staff who worked on water samples at Raigmore have transferred to the new lab. Altogether the lab has 10 members of staff – this is expected to increase to 15 in the coming months.
Bringing the service completely in-house is also more cost-effective, ensuring value for money for all Scottish Water customers. By running the industry efficiently, Scottish Water has been able to keep the average household water bill below £1 a day.
Highlands & Islands water supplies
The geography and scattered populations of the Highlands and Islands pose a significant challenge for Scottish Water. Across the region it operates over 200 water supplies, many for small, remote communities.
To put this in context, most English water companies have only a couple of dozen supplies feeding millions of customers. Despite this, all supplies must meet the same high standards laid down in law and monitored by independent regulators.
The most recent report by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland said that drinking water quality in Scotland has never been better. Over 99% of samples taken passed strict tests. Read about the results in 2007.
