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Water Resilience for Eigg

Proposal code: THC-2026-04-95

Develop a whole-island, climate resilient water security plan to ensure reliable water supplies for homes, businesses, and future development, supporting community resilience and sustainable growth.

1. We are seeking funding to undertake a feasibility study and options appraisal to improve long-term water security across Eigg, supporting sustainable infrastructure and future development. 

This will include: 

• A whole-island assessment of existing private water supplies (springs, burns, boreholes and shared systems)  
• Identification of areas under pressure, particularly during low rainfall and seasonal variability 
• Exploration of new water sources, including potential borehole locations  
• Assessment of how existing supplies can be upgraded and futureproofed  
• Investigation of shared systems, including clustering households and centralised filtration  
• Recommendations for sustainable management models to reduce individual maintenance.

The study will be delivered by a specialist contractor with expertise in rural water systems, supporting Place Plan priorities around environmental resilience, housing, and infrastructure. 

2. There is no mains water supply on Eigg. All households and businesses rely on private systems that are increasingly under pressure. 

Key challenges include: 

• Climate change, leading to more frequent dry periods and water scarcity  
• Fragmented systems requiring ongoing individual maintenance  
• An ageing population, making self-management more difficult  
• Increasing demand linked to housing and economic development  

Water is fundamental to sustaining homes, crofting, and local businesses, but current systems are not resilient enough to meet future needs. 

Highland Council’s WestPlan identifies water as a key constraint to development and highlights the need for efficient, low-impact resource management. This project directly responds to that priority. 

Community evidence reinforces the urgency. In the Eigg at 27 survey, water shortages were identified as a key external threat, with resilience and independence seen as essential to the island’s future. 

This project aligns strongly with the Lochaber Place Plan priorities: 

• People – improving access to services and enabling independent living  
• Place – supporting housing development and strengthening environmental resilience  
• Prosperity – enabling economic development, tourism, and employment  
• Collaboration Working – encouraging shared systems and partnership approaches  

The project will move Eigg from reactive, individual systems to a coordinated, sustainable approach. 

Without intervention, climate pressures will continue to constrain housing delivery, economic activity, and long-term sustainability. 

3. The project will deliver a clear, evidence-based pathway to improved water security, including: 

• Identification of reliable water sources for current and future demand  
• Greater resilience to climate change impacts  
• Support for housing and business development through viable serviced sites  
• Reduced maintenance burden through shared systems  
• Increased partnership working across the community  
• A strategic Island Water Security Plan to guide future investment.

It will also contribute directly to Lochaber Place Plan outcomes, including improved access to services, sustainable housing growth, stronger economic resilience, and more collaborative infrastructure solutions. 

Ultimately, the project will help ensure that Eigg remains a sustainable, liveable, and economically active community.

4. Completed: 

Delivery of recent housing projects, including borehole installations, providing practical learning  

Clear evidence of need through recurring shortages and water conservation measures  

Ongoing interest from households in more secure or shared supplies  

Early engagement with partners (e.g. Lochaber Housing Association)  

IEHT land ownership enabling coordinated delivery  

Next steps: 

Appoint a specialist consultant/contractor  

Undertake island-wide assessment and stakeholder engagement  

Map existing infrastructure and identify priority areas  

Develop costed options and recommendations  

Produce a final Island Water Security Plan.

• Energy Efficiency
• Environmental Initiatives
• Housing & Accommodation
• Planning & Dev Phase
• Visitor Infrastructure
• £ Revenue
• £ Capital

• Lochaber