Hundreds of people living in blocks of flats at Granton Waterfront were advised late on Friday afternoon not to drink the water from their taps or use the water for washing.
On Tuesday that advice was lifted by the factors mid-morning.
James Gibb, the factoring company, sent an email to everyone living in the development just before they closed their office for the weekend, and we are told that the email said there was little they could do over the weekend.
In an email to residents on Monday, the factors confirmed that the result of a further water test would not be known until at least Tuesday morning. They have now sent a further email lifting the ban on using the water following a private test.
The result of a test conducted by Scottish Water is not yet known.
A spokesperson for James Gibb said on Tuesday: “Following routine water quality testing carried out by a specialist contractor, precautionary advice was issued to residents while additional sampling and analysis were undertaken. Further testing has now been completed, and we have been advised that the initial result was a false positive. All subsequent tests were negative for coliforms, confirming that the water is safe for use.
“We recognise that our communication and escalation processes did not meet the standards we expect. We sincerely apologise for the limited information provided at the time, which may have caused uncertainty about the testing results and the appropriate next steps.
“A formal review is now underway to understand why the matter was not escalated appropriately to the Edinburgh senior management team. The findings of this review will guide improvements to strengthen our processes and ensure future communication is timely, clear, and comprehensive.
“The health, safety, and wellbeing of residents remain our priority. We will continue to keep homeowners informed as further information becomes available and as next steps are confirmed.”
Scottish Water
On Saturday morning a Scottish Water spokesperson said: “We are aware and investigating the matter, but we are not aware of any water quality issues with the public mains water supply in the area.”
Gillian Coyle who lives in one of the affected blocks with her husband said that the lack of tap water for washing and drinking caused huge problems for her. She said: “We’ve been let down badly by the factors and Scottish Water. Five days on from the email we still could not use the water in our taps.”
On the Scottish Water website the company explains the presence of coliforms saying that they are naturally present in the environment but their presence may show that there has been a “breach in the integrity of the supply system or contamination from the kitchen sink or taps”. Coliforms are found in the intestines of warm blooded animals.
Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP, said: “I have been advised that local engineers took a sample of the water and confirmed it was safe. This has been communicated to residents.
“After the factor informed residents on Friday not to drink the water because of potential contamination, I contacted Scottish Water and explained that immediate action was needed over the weekend. The results of the test by Scottish Water have yet to be returned.
“There have been ongoing issues with this site, and I want to reassure residents that I will do everything in my power to ensure matters are resolved for them as swiftly as possible. I am currently seeking a meeting with the factor this week to discuss my and others’ concerns.
“I will also continue to make representations to the council to find longer-term solutions because at the moment too many residents in Granton Harbour are being left in the lurch.”
Infrastructure problems
Mrs Coyle also explained that there is a larger problem for people living in this development. When she and her husband bought their property they were unaware that none of the infrastructure in the development – from roads to water supply pipes – had been adopted by the council.
She continued: “Living here, we feel completely and utterly ignored. Twice a year we now have to pay a factoring fee. We pay for the upkeep of the roads used by all traffic, including Lothian Buses. Everyone says there is nothing they can do. It used to be Pip AM who owned the land – a company based in Jersey, but we think they have now sold it on. Our water tank – like all the infrastructure here – is private. We feel let down by the landowners as well in relation to all of that.
“Scottish Water meanwhile lied about the water test results – they eventually sent someone to test the water on Saturday evening (having promised all day). We had been assured on Saturday morning that we would have the result of the test by Saturday evening. I first contacted Scottish Water on Friday evening.
“The response from the third party employed by the factors as part of their out of hours service was so badly written that Scottish Water said they doubted its authenticity and they would not escalate the problem. Also the factors do not communicate with any of the tenants so my husband went round the doors to warn people not to use the water.”
Edinburgh Council’s resilience team, James Gibb and Scottish Water supplied bottled water to the development at various stages over the weekend.
Meanwhile the council was asked to activate its resilience team to do what they can to help. We asked the council to confirm exactly what action they took. A council spokesperson confirmed that the council “worked with Scottish Water to ensure sufficient water supplies were delivered to residents over the weekend”.
Local councillor Cammy Day said: “I was alerted to an emergency situation by Granton Waterfront residents early on Saturday morning , where they had been informed of contaminated water by their factor just before closing, and not to wash or drink any of their water.
“It’s hugely disappointing that the factor James Gibb’s response was ‘nothing we can do til Monday’.
“I’ve since spoken with the council’s emergency resilience team and Scottish Water who took immediate action to support local residents.”
Lowther – a part of the Wheatley Group – manage some of the affected properties in the area, and have been in constant contact with their tenants over the weekend. Essentially the company is in the same position as any tenant, waiting for the green light from James Gibb or indeed Scottish Water. They have heard from James Gibb this morning and passed that news on.
A Lowther spokesperson said: “We’re pleased the factor has confirmed the water supply is now back on.
“Throughout the weekend we remained in regular contact with our customers, providing updates and practical support while the factor worked to resolve the issue.”
