The Liberal Democrat Mayor of Berwick Cllr Isabel Hunter has been accused of scaremongering after announcing during the recent Full Berwick Town Council meeting that Berwick was facing a growing water shortage problem and that forty percentage of Berwick's water was now being transported from Alnwick.
Cllr Hunter, who is also the Northumberland County Councillor for Berwick West, made the statement during the Mayor's announcements, suggested that this “problem” could get even worse as, and in the event, more buildings are constructed in the area.
Anne-Marie Trevelayan, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Berwick, has investigated the claim after being contacted by a concerned resident said; “I have spoken to Northumbria Water and am pleased to report that Berwick is not running out of water. They were not quite sure where the Mayor got her figures from but believe that this rumour emulated from the refurbishment they carried out to a borehole in the Berwick supply zone before Christmas”.
Northumbria Water have confirmed that during this process, it is normal practice, to carry out a tankering operation when removing a borehole from supply to ensure supply to customers is maintained whilst the refurbishment takes place. Northumbria Water have also said that over the next two years reliance on tankering will diminish as they continue their borehold refurbishment programme, as stated in their Water Resource Management Plan agreed with the Environment Agency, and as they implement other improvement and quality works.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan added; “as politicians it is important that we check our facts before making public statements or starting petitions especially on matters that could cause unnecessary concern to the public.”