Residents urged to check drains after contamination of ponds

Residents in an Aberdeenshire town are being urged to check their drain connections following the contamination of a park’s ponds.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) and Scottish Water have launched an investigation into the cloudy water seeping into Westhill’s Denman Park, which has happened on a number of occasions.

The park’s ponds are topped up from surrounding rainwater drains – from Morvern Crescent near the golf course in the north, from Westhill Drive in the east and from Westwood Grove in the west.

Sepa and Scottish Water are working together to test and trace the manholes upstream to establish where the “wrong fluids” came from and to “prevent it happening again”.

Aberdeenshire Council environment planner Steven Gray said: “If you live in the middle section of Westhill then you can help improve the ponds’ water quality by checking that your rainwater drains which remove surface water are not connected to the foul/sewer drains which take bathroom and kitchen waste water.”

Those undertaking external painting, waterproofing or cleaning works are also being urged not to pour the leftovers down the kerbside road drains as it will flow into the park.

The ponds are a much-loved attraction and are regularly visited by Westhill residents, forming a boundary between the park and local nature reserve Arnhall Moss.

The three ponds provide a home for a range of aquatic life ranging from micro-beasties such as freshwater hoglouse, pond skaters, water boatmen, diving beetles and midgies, to minnows, pond snails, newts, caddisfly larvae, freshwater shrimp and frogs.

Ducks, herons and numerous small birds also visit the ponds.

To report any pollution, call Sepa on 0800 80 70 60 or click here.