Pond at centre of pollution probe is cleaned

The Aberdeen park ponds at the centre of a pollution probe have been cleaned after they were blocked with dead leaves.

Concerns about the water feature at Westburn Park have been raised.

Two years ago, the

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) launched a probe into reports of sanitary products and other rubbish being found in Westburn Park waterways.

Most recently dead leaves have blocked the waterway, but these have now been cleaned.

Councillor Bill Cormie blamed the predicament

Pollution in the pond at Westburn Park, Aberdeen on council cutbacks that have resulted in regular maintenance being dropped in recent years.

He said: “At one time, the ponds were cleaned out every Friday but this has changed since the cutbacks.

“It has emerged that the issue of the blue film was caused by decaying leaves and I welcome the investigation that discovered this.

“I also welcome the early intervention this year, with the ponds being cleaned out before they got into the state they have been in previous years.”

A council spokeswoman added: “We do not have the resources to clean more often but we do check regularly for any broken glass or large items, such as traffic cones, which may have found their way into the pond.”

Sepa said investigations into pollution at the ponds at Westburn Park were “very complex, due to the large number of potential sources” and had proved inconclusive.

It has encouraged members of the public to report any further pollution at the ponds.

“At one time the ponds were cleaned out every Friday”