Water Supplies Restored in Mintlaw, AB42

Stage 5 - Final Update

Posted: Tuesday 21st November 2023 – 17:20hrs

We have completed repairs to a burst 8 inch water main supplying customers in AB42 Mintlaw, and we have now returned the water network to a normal service.

Throughout the repair we maintained water supplies to all potentially affected properties by tankering water into the network.

Customers may experience low / intermittent pressure issues, which could be due to an airlock in the pipes. Our "Unplanned Interruption to Your Water Supply" factsheet will help you to resolve this issue.

Customers might also experience discoloured water. This is normal after such an incident.

If you experience brown water, we advise to allow your cold-water kitchen tap to run at a reduced pressure until this runs clear. Do not run any other taps or use any water appliances whilst doing so and follow the same process with any other taps affected once the water is clear from your cold-water kitchen tap.

If you experience white water, this is air trapped in the supply and will clear within 24 to 48 hours.

We would like to apologise for any inconvenience or disruption caused.

If you require additional support, please use this link to sign up as a Priority Services Customer.

If you have experienced flooding due to this incident and need support, please call us on 0800 0778 778 or via one of the other methods on our contact us page.

Interruption to supply

When we are doing maintenance or repairs to the water network, you may experience cloudy or discoloured water. This video explains what to do if you are affected.

Burst Water Main FAQs

Why do I have no water?

We are very sorry you have experienced an unplanned interruption to your water supply. In this event it is always our priority to restore the supply as soon as possible, regardless of the scale of the disruption. An unplanned interruption to your water supply is normally caused by a water mains pipe bursting on our network. We proactively manage our vast network of pipes, however unforeseen bursts do sometimes occur.

Can you provide an accurate time for my water supply to be restored?

A water mains pipe burst can vary in size or complexity and other factors, such as traffic management or the location of the burst can affect the time to repair the pipe. The location and elevation of your property on our water network can also influence how soon the water will be restored to your property - for example the burst pipe may be repaired, but water has to recharge throughout the network. This means that properties at a higher elevation and/or further distance from the burst may take longer to receive full restoration of supply and pressure.

How can I keep informed about the progress of restoring my water supply following an unplanned interruption?

We update information on our website and social media channels on both Twitter and Facebook.

Can I use central heating during a low pressure/burst water main incident?

For households with combination boiler systems (normally operated without the need for a hot water storage unit) the central heating system should continue to operate as normal. However a hot water system, which is normally fed directly from the mains water supply, will not operate until the water supply is restored.

Do you provide bottled water?

We usually restore water supplies within a reasonable time. However, if we are unable to do so, we will provide alternative water supplies.

What if I am a customer who requires additional support?

Scottish Water has a confidential service for Priority Services Customers that customers with additional needs can sign up to free of charge. Customers who require additional assistance may include the elderly, young children or those with a disability or medical condition that requires a constant supply of water. For more information about Priority Services Customers, please visit www.scottishwater.co.uk/support or call our Customer Helpline free on 0800 0778 778.

Discoloured Water FAQs

What causes discoloured water?

If you notice any unusual taste and odour, please contact us so we can carry out the necessary investigations to resolve this for you as soon as possible. For more information please see our factsheet: Colour, taste and odour explained.

What should I do if I have discoloured water?

If the water from your cold kitchen tap (or any other mains fed tap) suddenly becomes discoloured, this could be because some maintenance or repair work is being carried out on our network in your area. If we have not informed you of any work being carried out, please contact us for more details. If we are not working in your area, we will investigate the cause of discolouration for you and let you know. For more information please see our factsheet: Colour, taste and odour explained.

Is discoloured water safe to drink?

In most cases discoloured water is not harmful and can be cleared by running the first incoming cold water tap (usually in the kitchen) at a trickle until it clears. Very occasionally customers have noticed "tiny particles" or "bits" in their tap water. This can be caused by planned or unplanned work to the water supply network which causes natural sediment in the pipes to shift (quite often this is a dark red, brown colour).

Small dark grey or black particles can occasionally be caused if your pipework is made from lead. This is most likely if your house was built before 1970. For more information see our Lead and Your Water pages.

Useful Documents

Title	Type	Size	Download
Unplanned Interruption to your Supply This leaflet explains what to do if you have an unplanned interruption to your water supply	PDF	1 MB		Download
Factsheet 4: Colour, Taste and Odour Explained This leaflet describes where we sample, causes of discoloured water and why your water may sometimes taste or smell different.	PDF	971 KB		Download