Burst water pipe leads to Wick water supplies being cut off: 'It's a nightmare,' says café owner

Many homes and businesses across Wick have had their water supplies cut off this morning as a result of a burst pipe in the town centre.

Seaview House care home is understood to have been affected, while a local café owner described the situation as a "nightmare".

Workmen have been out in force trying to fix the problem at a cobbled section of High Street near the bottom of John Street.

Morag Mackenzie, who runs Morag's Café, a few yards from where the road is being dug up by workmen from Scottish Water, has been given bottled water so she can keep the business open for now.

Properties across the north side of the town are understood to be affected.

Scottish Water announced at 10.15am that it would be an estimated four-and-a-half hours before a full repair could be carried out.

It stated: "We are currently repairing a burst water pipe which is causing the interruption to the water supply for customers in Wick.

"While we carry out the repair, please be aware that you may experience no water supply, low/intermittent pressure or discoloured water.

"The full repair will take an estimated four-and-a-half hours from now to complete. The water supply will gradually return to normal for customers once the repair has been completed."

Ms Mackenzie said: “We've got bottles of water but obviously we can't use the dishwasher and we can't use the coffee machine, so we're doing instant coffees and boiling the kettle. When we run of plates, we're shut.

“I came down to my work about half-past eight this morning and they were standing outside waiting for me because there was quite a considerable amount of water just there. There were pools and pools of water.

“They think the issue is where they're digging, but they've got to the cobbles and then they're finding there's concrete underneath it so they've had to go and get a heavy machine.

“They can't pinpoint it. You could see the water coming out, just where they're digging. They thought that was where the issue is – but it may not be.

“They may have to dig as far as the end of Shore Lane."

Asked about the impact on trade, she said: “It's a nightmare. We can't really afford to shut because it's bad enough as it is.

"We're just having to plod on."

Ms Mackenzie said she assumed the problem was related to the ongoing work to replace water pipes throughout the town, a long-term programme that has seen many streets blocked off while roads are dug up.

“They've given us water but I don't suppose it's their fault," she said. "It's this lot that are doing the pipes round about, I'm assuming.

"It has been going on an awful long time and it has caused chaos.

“When they shut Louisburgh Street and you couldn't get down to the car park, that was poor for business anyway. Things seem to be stacking against us at the moment.

“How long is a piece of string? That's what they've said. They may be digging for two to three hours, just digging, until they find where the thing is.

“We're running until we can run no longer.

“Seaview House care home, how are they going to manage?"

Barchester Healthcare, which owns Seaview House, said it was not able to comment.

One householder on the north side of Wick said: “Obviously it was something that just happened and they couldn't pre-warn you. In the past when we've had our water cut off they've been very good at giving a few days' notice prior to it happening so people can prepare and make alternative arrangements if necessary.

“Unfortunately, clearly this time they couldn't do that. If you've got people are unwell or vulnerable it can be a problem.”

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