Milnathort pensioner dismayed by water problems

An elderly Perthshire homeowner claims she is repeatedly being left with no running water in her flat with no warning due to work being carried out on council owned properties in her block of flats.

- KATHRYN ANDERSON

Milnathort resident Gwynneth Clayton (79) has had her water supply cut off three times over the last month by tradespeople working on the empty council flat below.

Her plight has been branded an "impossible position" by Councillor Willie Robertson as she has no access to her water supply during an emergency - something he says could be solved with "little cost" by Perth and Kinross Council.

Perth and Kinross Council has apologised for the "oversight" but advised Mrs Clayton she can either pay for an individual water supply or arrange for a plumber to install a stopcock, stating that it would be "inappropriate" for the council to provide assistance as she is not a council tenant.

Gwynneth Clayton bought her Bridgefauld Road flat in 1996 from the previous owner who bought it from the council.

Her downstairs neighbours recently moved out. And while trades have been working on the vacant flat below, they have repeatedly cut the pensioner's water supply off this month without warning.

Mrs Clayton said: “My supply was cut three times; firstly on Monday, October 6 and also on Thursday, October 9. Each time, I went downstairs and informed them that my supply was cut as well.

“The workmen had either not been told, or had ignored the information that my supply would also be cut off.”

On Friday, October 17 Mrs Clayton woke up to discover her water supply had once again been cut off.

The elderly pensioner said: “I couldn't clean my teeth, wash, flush the loo or make a drink.”