water shortage in orkney!!!

[LRM]

would you believe after all the rain, that orcadians were being told they may have to conserve water!! Apparently the waterworks were flooded and the water was contaminated, therefore causing a shortage of clean water. Strange but true.....

[danc1ngwitch]

Oh no, with all the rain etc.. hope all ok there.x

[JAWS]

That really is just adding insult to injury. Hope they get it sorted soon.

[pultneytooner]

would you believe after all the rain, that orcadians were being told they may have to conserve water!! Apparently the waterworks were flooded and the water was contaminated, therefore causing a shortage of clean water. Strange but true.....
Water, water, everywhere but not a drop to drink.

[orkneylass]

Hi - we do indeed have a problem with the pumping station, despite ongoing flooding. And now it's getting too cold for a bath in the ditch.....

[webmannie]

I thought Orcadians bathed in Loch Harray?

[oldmarine]

would you believe after all the rain, that orcadians were being told they may have to conserve water!! Apparently the waterworks were flooded and the water was contaminated, therefore causing a shortage of clean water. Strange but true.....

Those things do happen too often. Here's wishing the best for you and hoping the problem will soon be cleared.

[Saxo01]

The flooding damaged the electrics but all was back to normal & fully operational yesterday, Supply was always maintained to all customers, The Sparkies did a good job working round the clock to restore the power

[Ricco]

What is it about the water authorities in this country?! All the rain we get every year and it just slips through their pudgey fingers. Los Angeles - big flash American city; build in the middle of a desert; loads of green spaces, no water shortages. And that's just one example. OFWAT? They've got no idea! Hey guys, its not rocket science - trap it, catch it, store it. Easy.

[DrSzin]

Los Angeles - big flash American city; build in the middle of a desert; loads of green spaces, no water shortages.Er, perhaps, but only because it sponges off its neighbours...

For a start, LA isn't in the middle of a desert - it's on the coast, and it wasn't built on desert anyway. Orange County is named after the fruit they used to grow there. :)

Secondly, LA has been one of the battlegrounds in the California Water Wars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Water_Wars) for a century or more. It has water and is green only because it's sucked the Owens Valley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owens_Valley) dry for decades.

I'll be happy to stand corrected by our resident Organgelino if any of the above claims are either wrong or exaggerated.

[Saxo01]

But were only a lil island if we trap too much we'll sink :~(

[JAWS]

Many years ago one of the old Water Authorities, I think it was Northumbria, spent a lot of money creating a massive new supply of water at a place called Keilder. I understand they created one of the largest man made lakes in Europe.
Many other Water Authorities publicly ridiculed them for their stupidity in wasting money providing far more water than they would ever need as there was no shortage of supplies.

Who are the idiots now? Of course, it the public that ends up suffering for Official Short-sightedness.

[_Ju_]

Los Angeles - big flash American city; build in the middle of a desert; loads of green spaces, no water shortages. . Hmmmmmm...LAs Vegas?

[Ricco]

Er, perhaps, but only because it sponges off its neighbours...

For a start, LA isn't in the middle of a desert - it's on the coast, and it wasn't built on desert anyway. Orange County is named after the fruit they used to grow there. :)

Secondly, LA has been one of the battlegrounds in the California Water Wars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Water_Wars) for a century or more. It has water and is green only because it's sucked the Owens Valley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owens_Valley) dry for decades.

I'll be happy to stand corrected by our resident Organgelino if any of the above claims are either wrong or exaggerated.

That's one reason I so like the org. I know that the wisdom and depth of knowledge that Dr Szin has far outweighs my own meagre contribution. Thanks for that enlightenment - your understanding of that topic is much greater than mine. :confused


Hmmmmmm...LAs Vegas?

And to Ju.. that's the one I meant - always get them mixed up. Thanks.

[George Brims]

What is it about the water authorities in this country?! All the rain we get every year and it just slips through their pudgey fingers. Los Angeles - big flash American city; build in the middle of a desert; loads of green spaces, no water shortages. And that's just one example. OFWAT? They've got no idea! Hey guys, its not rocket science - trap it, catch it, store it. Easy.

LA isn't in the middle of a desert but it's pretty close to the edge. An hour's drive from downtown LA and things are pretty dusty! The LA climate is best described as Mediterranean.

I hope none of our Northern Californians are looking in! The only reason anything much in LA is green other than in the springtime is the water that travels south via the California Aqueduct. Mono Lake is a lot smaller than it used to be because of all the Owens Valley water that doesn't flow into it, but goes to water lawns and golf courses down south instead. Also as Dr Szin points out the agriculture down here (the oranges they used to grow in Orange County for example, before it was paved in concrete and rabid Republicans) is heavily dependent on imported water.

Meanwhile what rain does fall here is mostly allowed to run off, carrying assorted car fluids, cigarette ends and dead cats into Santa Monica Bay.

Las Vegas does actually have some water of its own - it was an oasis and then later a steam train watering stop before the mob moved in and covered it in casinos. I think they get most of their water from the Colorado River, and perhaps from the mountains to the West (high enough to have snow in winter).

Water trivia question: Into which sea does the Colorado River flow? Answers in a plain brown envelope with a ten pound note. Winner gets zilch.

[DrSzin]

Water trivia question: Into which sea does the Colorado River flow?It doesn't. :)