A MAJOR emergency operation got underway after ice at a reservoir blocked the supply of water to much of Inverclyde.
Scottish Water deployed divers at Loch Thom and they worked for hours on Saturday to clear a frozen intake which was stopping water getting to Overton treatment works.
Extra drinking water was brought into the area by road tankers and pumped into the network to maintain some supply to the 13,000 homes and businesses at risk of being affected.
Drive-thru bottled water distribution points were set up in Greenock at Battery Park and the Waterfront leisure centre. Long queues formed as residents waited to stock up.
Once the intake was cleared it took several hours to refill storage tanks within the water network.
A spokesperson for Scottish Water said: “We would like to thank customers in Inverclyde for their understanding and support today while our team has been working in challenging conditions to restore production of drinking water.
“Extra resources will remain in place to support the network’s recovery and to assist customers until their supplies are restored -– but we would like to reassure customers that their normal supply is expected to return soon.”
Customers may experience discoloured or cloudy water after their supply returns. If this occurs, they are advised to run their cold kitchen tap at half pressure until the water runs clear.