Coll is a tranquil paradise surrounded by water that stretches as far as the eye can see.

But trouble is brewing on the Hebridean island, three hours by ferry from Oban, because there is hardly a drop to drink.

The supplies are running dry after Scottish Water decided without warning to cap its only public water tap on the pier.

The organisation acted following fears the tap was being misused by people bringing their yachts to the island.

The action has left visiting boat owners and people holidaying in their camper vans high and dry and caused problems for residents who collect drinking water there because their private supplies are not filtered.

Paul Brooker, manager of the island's only hotel, said people were now using the Coll Hotel's outside tap as a last resort.

Mr Brooker said: "We have a tap at the back, mainly for campers, but 220 people live on the island and every house outside the village of Arinagour is not on the mains water supply, so we are getting requests to use our water."

The hotel has not turned anyone away yet, but Mr Brooker said: "Our water at the hotel is metered, so if we start supplying the rest of the island we are going to be charged for it."

Peter Ings, treasurer of the local community council, said: "We have had complaints about this from householders and tourists and we have contacted Scottish Water. We are waiting to hear back, to find out why it did this.

"We get a lot of yachts coming in and the tap is used by the boats, but it has been cut off and sealed."

Mr Ings added: "I am led to believe it was something to do with the fact the utility is trying to conserve the water and keep it for people who are paying for it."

He said the houses outside Arinagour were not connected to the public water supply. He added that new houses did not get planning permission without a clause insisting that water filtering systems were included, but older houses still had unfiltered private water supplies.

One islander said: "We have children and we were taking maybe four or five gallon containers once a week from the tap, about 20 litres a week.

"We have got other water systems in the house we use for flushing the toilet. We really just use the public supply for brushing our teeth and boiling potatoes.

"I would say most people are the same, it is not like we are using hundreds and hundreds of gallons of the stuff. I don't think anyone would misuse it.

"Now heaps of people in the village are just saying 'come and use our water', so the 20 litres we were taking from the tap is still being used.

"I find it incredible, in the 21st century when Britain is sending money abroad to get people water, we are having this issue with our water."

A Scottish Water spokesman said: "Due to a period of very high demand during the summer, this tap, which is linked to our customer water network, was switched off temporarily to ensure we could maintain supplies to customers on the island.

"We are aware the tap is switched off and will be discussing this with the council to identify a possible way forward."