1,800 properties remain without water four days after 'catastrophic failure' at local treatment works
Last updated 29th Aug 2025
Work's continuing to restore water supplies to homes and businesses across Berwickshire - four days after the "catastrophic failure" of a pipe at Rawburn treatment works, near Longformacus, led to thousands being cut off.
Around 1,800 woke up without running taps this morning (Friday) - although Scottish Water says more than 4,000 properties have now been reconnected.
Paxton House yesterday announced it was forced to close due to having no water.
But Laughing Ducks soft play in Coldstream has reopened after sharing footage of the moment they turned their taps back on last night.
John Griffen, Water Operations General Manager at Scottish Water, said: “We are pleased to have restored normal supplies for the majority of the affected properties and will continue to work to do likewise for those still affected.
"We are focusing all of our efforts on the areas where there are still properties without water.
”We would again like to apologise to all affected customers for the inconvenience caused and thank them for their patience and understanding as we work to resolve the matter for all properties.”
Almost 6,000 properties in areas including parts of Duns, Eccles, Coldingham, Chirnside, Paxton, Coldstream, Burnmouth, Lamberton and Drone Hill have been affected by the disruption.
Water tankers have been drafted in to boost supplies after emergency repairs were carried out.
Scottish Water says without the temporary measures put in place almost 10,000 properties could have been affected.
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A spokesperson for the water company said: "When individual properties have their normal supply restored could depend on their location on our network.
"Customers on Scottish Water’s Priority Services Register (PSR) in properties still affected are being contacted again to establish if there is any other support they need.
"We have drafted in a team of volunteers, from our own staff and from our partners, and they remain on site to deliver bottled water to these properties."
More than a dozen bottled water collection points have now been set up across Berwickshire, with the main one being at the car park opposite the High School in Duns.
Others are being topped up at: Lammerview, Chirnside, TD11 3UN; Swinton Kirk, TD11 3JJ; Opposite Greenlaw Town Hall, TD10 6UD; Gavinton Village Hall, TD11 3QR; Eccles Village Hall, TD5 7QP; Birgham Cemetery, TD12 4NG; Village Hall, Whitsome, TD11 3NA; Foulden & Mordington Parish Church, TD15 1UH; Hill View, Coldstream, TD12 4ED; Paxton Village Hall, TD15 1TE; Hutton Village Hall, TD15 1TS; Fogo Church, TD11 3RA; Telephone Box, St Leonards, Polwarth, TD10 6YR; and Main Street, Leitholm, TD12 4JL.
Local MP John Lamont has been critical of Scottish Water’s response. In a video shared on his social media on Thursday, he said: "It's not good enough. Their communications have been appalling.
"Their local teams on the ground are doing what they can, but the leadership teams - the high heid yins in Scottish Water - need to be held to account for their failure to properly communicate with local residents."
Local dog groomer Malcolm Stickle, who runs the pet shop in Eyemouth, helped transport supplies of bottled water to people in Foulden - and is praising the community for rallying round.
"We were dreading not having water there or we wouldn't have been able to bath the dogs," he told Greatest Hits Radio. "But, luckily, Eyemouth was okay.
"It also meant we were able to fill up water carriers - like the camping ones - with water from the shop to keep us going.
"There's also been cases in Duns, with my mother-in-law in fact; while we were at work, she'd ran out of water as well. One of her neighbours came by and gave her a few cases of water to keep her going. So it's good that all the communities help each other out."
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