‘Filthy brown sludge’ seen oozing into river
Scottish Water deny responsibility for liquid
Scottish Water has said it is not responsible for “filthy brown sludge” said to smell “like human waste” seen oozing into the River Almond on multiple occasions over the last few months.
A concerned resident contacted the PA to draw attention to the situation after becoming increasingly troubled by the amount of dirty water they say they have seen entering the river at a specific location in Almondbank over a period of several months.
The individual said they cycled past the spot beside part of the village’s relatively newly built flood defences last Thursday ( October 29) and noticed not for the first time that a mystery brown liquid looked as if it was being “pumped” into the water.
They said they then walked back along the same spot a couple of hours later the same day and could still see the discoloured water discharging into the river.
They added they were aware a water processing plant lay close to where they could see the substance flowing into the river and suggested there could be a connection.
The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the PA: “I cycled past that spot at about 10am and the stuff was being pumped into the river.
“I returned on foot about 2pm and it was still flowing into the Almond.
“I’m not sure exactly what it is but the smell is terrible.
“I would say it’s been happening over the last few months on an almost daily basis.”
And the resident remained sceptical when we relayed remarks made by a representative of Scottish Water we asked to respond to their concerns who suggested what they were seeing entering the river could just be run off for nearby farm land.
The resident said: “I don’t think it’s run off from any farm. It happens regularly even when there has been long dry spells. It smells to me like it’s human waste.
“I see small tankers in the treatment plant which I presumed were emptying dirty waste, possibly from septic tanks, although I could be completely wrong.”
“The brown liquid was flowing into the river on Monday (November 1) again.”
A spokesperson for Scottish Water told the PA: “Scottish Water does not have any infrastructure that discharges into the Pow Burn, from which the discoloured water is entering the River Almond.
“Our local team has investigated our pumping stations and treatment works in the local area and confirmed that all are operating normally.”
It happens regularly even when there has been long dry spells. It smells to me like it’s human waste Local resident