This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6582293.stm

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Apology for 'catastrophic' spill Emergency pumps to halt sewage
(about 3 hours later)
Scottish Water has apologised for pouring millions of litres of sewage into the Firth of Forth. Sewage has continued to pour into the Firth of Forth two-and-a-half days after a pumping station failure.
The company has promised the temporary pumps it has been installing over the weekend will solve the problem. Scottish Water promised the problem would be solved by Monday morning, when emergency pumps installed at Seafield plant in Leith will be turned on.
As much as a hundred million litres of sewage may have been discharged after a pump failure at Seafield Wastewater Treatment Plant in Leith on Friday. The company has apologised for the "catastrophic failure" that allowed millions of litres of sewage to escape.
The apology came amid a row over the risk to public health after the public was warned to avoid contact with water. Many residents have complained they were not informed quickly enough that beaches might be contaminated.
Residents have complained they were not informed quickly enough that beaches might be contaminated. As much as a hundred million litres of partially diluted sewage, enough to fill 170 Olympic-sized swimming pools, may have been discharged after a pump failed at Seafield Wastewater Treatment Plant in Leith on Friday afternoon.
And Scotland's First Minister Jack McConnell has called for a full investigation. The sewage has been pumping into the Forth at the rate of up to 1,000 litres a second since then.
Approximately 1,000 litres a second of partially diluted sewage has been pumping into the Forth.
The plant, run by Thames Water, treats sewage for 800,000 people in and around Edinburgh.The plant, run by Thames Water, treats sewage for 800,000 people in and around Edinburgh.
The failure led to a row over the risk to public health after the public was warned to avoid contact with water and stay away from the shoreline.
'Catastrophic failure''Catastrophic failure'
Scotland's First Minister Jack McConnell has called for a full investigation.
Helen Lennox, Scottish Water's head of corporate affairs, apologised to customers for the inconvenience caused.Helen Lennox, Scottish Water's head of corporate affairs, apologised to customers for the inconvenience caused.
She said: "This was a catastrophic failure at a pumping station and we have been working around the clock to fix it.She said: "This was a catastrophic failure at a pumping station and we have been working around the clock to fix it.
It has an infrastructure that is basically Third World technology Rob KirkwoodLeith Links Residents' Association Beach-goers slam warnings
"On investigation our engineers found the repair was a much larger operation than first anticipated and we have had to locate specialist pumps from other parts of the UK"."On investigation our engineers found the repair was a much larger operation than first anticipated and we have had to locate specialist pumps from other parts of the UK".
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has already said emergency measures to "minimize the risk of pollution" were being put in place and has warned the public not to come into contact with the water. Stephen Walker, head of environmental health at City of Edinburgh Council, said 80% of the temporary pumps which had been brought up from Nottinghamshire had been installed by 0800 BST on Monday.
The failure affected just one of the flows going into the treatment works and that Seafield continued to treat the rest of its intake as normal. It has an infrastructure that is basically Third World technology Rob KirkwoodLeith Links Residents' Association class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6581625.stm">Beach-goers slam warnings
John Rae, the General Manager of Customer Operations for Scottish Water, explained the sewage flow would have to be diverted before higher capacity pumps could be installed. He added: "They are hoping that the final pumps will be fitted very soon which will mean that there will be no further discharge. They have given me a guarantee that will end all the pumping into the Forth."
"The line that's coming in where we have the problem is only about a quarter of the total flow that Thames actually treat. Mr Walker urged anyone who came into contact with water from the Forth to follow basic hygiene guidelines.
Now in saying that, it's still a huge flow that's actually coming in - so they have to be able to divert that fully to stop the emergency overflow from running." The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has already said emergency measures to "minimize the risk of pollution" were being put in place and has warned the public not to come into contact with the water.
Investigation calls The failure affected one of the flows going into the treatment works while the rest of the Seafield plant continued to treat the rest of its intake as normal.
Gordon Greenhill, head of community safety at Edinburgh City Council, said the sewage spill raised public health concerns but would not be a long-term environmental problem. John Rae, general manager of customer operations for Scottish Water, said the repair operation had been a complicated one for Thames Water.
He refuted claims by some residents that the station was antiquated.
He said: "The pumping station certainly does not have 'Third World technology'. That is completely erroneous.
"I realise there have been some difficulties but it has been a difficult repair for Thames.
"I would like to apologise on behalf of Scottish Water to our customers that this event has occurred. The main issue for me is to understand what has happened."
Gordon Greenhill, head of community safety at Edinburgh Council, said the sewage spill raised public health concerns but added it would not be a long-term environmental problem.
People using the waterfront have been urged to take precautionsPeople using the waterfront have been urged to take precautions
"The volume of sewage going into the Forth estuary is a concern as it has the capacity to come back on to the shore," he said."The volume of sewage going into the Forth estuary is a concern as it has the capacity to come back on to the shore," he said.
"Any raw sewage has human pathogens in it which has the capacity to make people ill.""Any raw sewage has human pathogens in it which has the capacity to make people ill."
Residents in Leith have long campaigned about the smell from the plant.Residents in Leith have long campaigned about the smell from the plant.
Rob Kirkwood, the chairman of Leith Links Residents' Association, said: "It has an infrastructure that is basically Third World technology."Rob Kirkwood, the chairman of Leith Links Residents' Association, said: "It has an infrastructure that is basically Third World technology."
Meanwhile Scotland's First Minister Mr McConnell said that it was essential that there was an "immediate investigation into the mechanical failure that has apparently caused this spillage and what action needs to be taken as soon as possible to ensure that such a mechanical failure does not occur again". Resident Robbie Lawson said he had not been warned about the sewage when he had been sailing in a dinghy on the Forth on Saturday afternoon.
Mr Lawson said: "There were a lot of us using the water and we were blissfully unaware of any problem until hearing the news headlines later on Saturday."
Meanwhile Jack McConnell said that it was essential that there was an "immediate investigation into the mechanical failure that has apparently caused this spillage and what action needs to be taken as soon as possible to ensure that such a mechanical failure does not occur again".
The SNP and the Scottish Greens questioned the viability of the private finance initiative scheme that was used to install and manage the treatment facilities at Seafield.The SNP and the Scottish Greens questioned the viability of the private finance initiative scheme that was used to install and manage the treatment facilities at Seafield.
And Conservative deputy leader Murdo Fraser called the incident a "catastrophe" for the local environment. Conservative Deputy Leader Murdo Fraser called the incident a "catastrophe" for the local environment.
Do you live near the Firth of Forth and have you been affected by the spill? Have you been on the waterfront and can you see the effects of the leak?Please send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
Do you live near the Firth of Forth and have you been affected by the spill? Have you been on the waterfront and can you see the effects of the leak?Please send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
Name
 Name