Scottish Water is warning customers the check their pipes as sub-zero temperatures lead to a 30% rise in burst pipes.

The water company is calling on customers across Scotland to be vigilant and check for burst water mains and pipes during the sub-zero temperatures and a forecast thaw in the coming days.

Scottish Water has recorded a 30% increase in the past two days in bursts on its network of water mains, and on pipes in properties reported by householders and businesses, as temperatures have fallen below zero across much of the country.

With temperatures forecast to rise over the weekend and early next week, the company is anticipating a possible further increase in the number of bursts as pipes freeze and then expand and ground movement caused by frost affects them.

In recent winters, Scotland has experienced several very cold spells, with pipes freezing, followed by quick thawing and this has sometimes caused an increase in the number of bursts and loss of normal water supplies and incidents of flooding and damage to property, causing significant inconvenience and expense for householders and businesses.

A Scottish Water spokesperson said:

“When temperatures fall below zero, water in pipes can freeze and expand and then contract if the temperature rises which can cause them to crack or burst.

“At the start of the winter, we called on anyone with a home, holiday home, or business premises to take action to protect their properties and pipes.

“Now, in response to the weather and after an increase in the number of burst pipes this week, we’re asking customers to look out for bursts on the public network on roads and land and on their property – including out-buildings and unoccupied property - and to report bursts on the public network to us so that we can respond and to have bursts on their property repaired as quickly as possible.

“We will work to repair bursts on our network as quickly as possible and, although it is the property owners’ responsibility to have bursts on their property repaired, we can sometimes help with these.

“Scottish Water is monitoring the weather conditions and its network around the clock and has teams of engineers ready to be deployed whenever needed.”