Scottish Water has issued an apology for sewage being pumped into the River Tay as a result of emergency repairs to a pipe in Dundee.
A leaking main in the city has seen sewage dumped into “deep water” in the river over the weekend and on Monday, with repair expected to last several more days.
Scottish Water says progress is being made on what has been described as a “complex repair” on the A85 at Riverside Drive.
The eastbound carriageway of the road remains closed and an apology has been issued both for the environmental impact and the travel disruption.
Sewage which would normally be transported to Hatton Waste Water Treatment Works is being discharged into the River Tay, after being screened to remove large objects.
Specialist equipment had to be brought on site on Monday afternoon to help with the repair due to the depth of the pipe and challenging ground conditions.
People have been advised against bathing at Broughty Ferry and Monifieth beaches as a precaution.
Road closures
The A85 eastbound remains closed between the main entrance to Tesco and the goods entrance.
A diversion is in place via Perth Road and Hawkhill. The westbound carriageway is unaffected.
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “We would like to apologise for the impact this issue is having both on the road network in Dundee and on the local environment.
“With our partner Veolia [who operate the sewer on Scottish Water’s behalf] and our wider supply chain, we are focused on completing the complex repair that is needed to return the sewer network to normal operation as quickly as possible.
“While the repair is urgent, it remains vital that we ensure the work can be carried out safely.
While repair work is continuing, we are doing everything possible to mitigate short term impact on the local environment
Scottish Water
“Specialist equipment is now on site which should allow our contractor to make progress into the evening with a deep excavation in challenging ground conditions.
“While repair work is continuing, we are doing everything possible to mitigate short term impact on the local environment, actively monitoring the performance of the equipment which enables the settlement of solids and removal of any debris above six millimetres before the remaining effluent is discharged to deep water.
“In coordination with SEPA and local authorities, we are advising against bathing or paddling at Broughty Ferry and Monifieth beaches, where there is potential for normal water quality to be affected.
“We will lift this precautionary advice as soon as the repair is complete.
“We appreciate the patience of customers and stakeholders while we are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”
More information on the repair is available online.
Sepa
A spokesperson for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said the situation is being monitored.
They added: “We remain in contact with Scottish Water, who advise that repairs are under way.
“As a precautionary measure, Dundee City Council has updated signage at Broughty Ferry to advise against bathing or paddling in the bathing water. SEPA’s electronic bathing water signage at Monifieth has been updated to advise against bathing or paddling as a precaution.
“SEPA officers will carry out water quality sampling and continue to monitor the situation.”
“We would urge anyone worried about a potential pollution incident to contact our 24-hour pollution reporting line as soon as possible. This can be done through our online form at www.sepa.org.uk/report or via 0800 80 70 60.”
Conversation