Islanders on South Uist have been urged to reduce their water consumption over fears of a drought.

While parts of the Scottish mainland have received near record-high rainfall in recent months, parts of the Western Isles have seen some of the driest spells on record for this time of year.

Scottish Water has written to households on South Uist asking them to "use water wisely" and suggesting ways to reduce water consumption.

The company have also installed a temporary overland pipeline to pump water from nearby Benbecula.

A hosepipe ban has not yet been put in place but Scottish Water has suggested islanders not use them.

Other advice includes turning off dripping taps, using water-saving devices in toilet cisterns and taking showers instead of baths.

Scottish Water will continue to monitor water levels, particularly sources serving South Uist, to ensure it can maintain supplies of drinking water to the islanders.

Chief operating officer of Scottish Water, Peter Farrer, said: "We are encouraging everyone living and working locally to take simple steps to use water wisely.

"Toilet flushing uses around 30% of water in the typical home. While people should use their toilet as normal, installing a Save-a-Flush bag provided by Scottish Water can save around one litre of water every time a toilet is used.

"People can also help by turning off the tap when brushing teeth and doing a full load of washing instead of a half load."

Mr Farrer added: "By making small changes to our habits we can significantly reduce water usage without compromising our quality of life."