Scottish Water has been blasted for allowing sewage to leak into the River Tay in the centre of Perth.
The spillage was spotted by jet skier Stewart Miller while he was in the water with friends at the weekend.
The group included small children and his pet dog.
He says sewage was gushing into the river close to where Scottish Water is building Perth’s new “super sewer” on Tay Street.
The water company has admitted there was a fault in the pumps it is using for the £107 million upgrade.
It has promised a clean-up and a full investigation.
But the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) says it notified Scottish Water of problems in the area after they were brought to its attention at the end of July.
Stewart, who was hailed a hero when he saved a woman from drowning in the Tay during Storm Isha in January, says the water company has failed the people of Perth.
“It’s absolutely shocking,” he said.
“People let their kids play there. They let their dogs drink there.
“There were people using the river all weekend, who will be horrified to hear this.”
Perth sewage leak prompts health fears
Stewart says he noticed a foul smell coming from the river on Friday.
He was back out on Saturday with a group of around 10 people, including children, when he noticed what appeared to be sewage rippling out from the riverside close to the railway bridge that crosses Moncreiffe Island.
It was still happening when he went back on Sunday to check.
“You could see it, floating back up river on the tide,” he said.
“I was covered in it. My dog was covered in it. Young kids have had that water in their mouths.
“As soon as Scottish Water knew there was an issue, they should have brought in lorries and transported the sewage away for treatment.”
Stewart said he took his dog, Troy, to the vet on Monday. But he is also concerned about the health implications for river-users like himself.
“There’s a whole community of people who use the River Tay in Perth,” he added.
“There’s ourselves, the paddleboarders, water-skiers, divers, little boat users, the swimmers and then everyone who uses the Willowgate Activity Centre further downriver.
“Why weren’t we notified as soon as Scottish Water knew there was a problem?”
Video shows leak as Scottish Water and SEPA respond to concerns
It’s understood the spill has now ceased, and a clean-up is under way.
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “Unfortunately a fault developed on pumps being used as part of our project to upgrade the sewer network on Perth’s Tay Street.
“We took immediate action as soon as the problem was identified, and we are arranging a full clean-up of the area.
“An investigation will be carried out to establish the full circumstances of what happened and ensure we learn any lessons.”
A spokesperson for SEPA told The Courier: “SEPA was notified about discoloured water discharging to the watercourse at the River Tay in Perth on July 27 2024.
“SEPA officers attended and substantiated the issue and raised the matter directly with Scottish Water.
“Further inspections will be carried out by Scottish Water and a clean-up has been arranged.
“We continue to engage with Scottish Water and continue to monitor the situation.
“We would like to remind anyone who is concerned about a potential pollution incident to contact SEPA as soon as possible through our 24/7 Pollution Hotline. You can report using our online form or by calling 0800 80 70 60.”
Work on installing the 501m, long 2.2m diameter, steel-reinforced super sewer in Perth’s Tay Street and Shore Road began in June 2023.
The £107 million project is scheduled to be completed next spring.
Conversation