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ALS ice bucket challenge demand 'leaves island without water'

Reports claim water was shut off five times over the weekend

Christopher Hooton
Wednesday 27 August 2014 16:19 BST
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The Isle of Colonsay has a population of 135
The Isle of Colonsay has a population of 135 (Facebook)

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The ALS ice bucket challenge has exhausted not only your patience with your Facebook friends but reportedly all the drinking water on the Isle of Colonsay, with Scottish Water being forced to shut off its supply over the weekend as residents rushed to fill their pails.

The viral campaign has spread all around the world the past week and apparently even as far as the Inner Hebridean island, with its domino effect nominations covering its population of 135 in no time.

The island's water system shuts off automatically at peak usage in a bid to cut wastage on the eight mile-long island and must be switched back on manually, with an engineer having to be called out five times over the weekend.

"The challenge spread round the island like wildfire. It hit a peak on Sunday evening," resident David Johnston told The Sun. "The water system must have thought there was a burst main."

A spokesperson for Scottish Water confirmed that the water supply had been shut off, though residents could still make use of stored supplies.

The trend of dumping ice water over your head in name of shameless self-promotion showing off your bikini body motor neurone disease shows no sign of slowing down.

For instance, here's a foul-mouthed two-year-old taking part:

Having apparently made its way through every inhabitant of Earth, the challenge has now reached fictional characters, with Homer Simpson taking part this morning.

The campaign is estimated to have raised over $80 million (£48 million) so far.

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