Perth and Kinross Council has unanimously referred to as for motion to enhance the water high quality of a poisonous loch which turned vibrant inexperienced final month.
The councillors need tighter controls on the quantities of phosphorus deposited into Loch Leven and to cease uncooked sewage ending up within the main vacationer attraction.
Council chief Grant Laing has agreed to write down to the Scottish minister for Atmosphere and Land Reform Mairi McAllan requesting motion.
A movement - tabled by Liberal Democrat councillor Willie Robertson and Impartial councillor Dave Cuthbert - was agreed when councillors met for the final time this 12 months on Wednesday, December 21.
Loch Leven is designated as a Website of Particular Scientific Curiosity (SSSI), a Ramsar website (wetland of worldwide significance), a Nationwide Nature Reserve and a Particular Safety Space (SPA).
Nevertheless native councillors are rising “very involved” concerning the water high quality. Whereas planning steering was launched to mitigate the influence of phosphorus generated by growth within the space Kinross-shire councillors Willie Robertson and Dave Cuthbert pointed to a wider discharge concern.
Their movement acknowledged: “The water within the loch is being enriched by phosphates coming into the loch from agricultural run-off and handled effluent from the Milnathort and Kinross Waste Water Remedy Crops.
“That is resulting in rising situations of algal blooms, a few of that are poisonous, making it unsafe for people and animals alike.
“Nevertheless, there's a additional drawback. Due to the shared sewage methods (carrying each sewage and street water) in Milnathort and Kinross, in durations of heavy rain, Scottish Water are pressured to divert untreated sewage immediately into the loch. This can be a additional main issue within the degradation of the water high quality.”
Their movement referred to as on the council’s SNP chief to request the surroundings secretary ask SEPA to introduce a weight restrict on the quantity of phosphorus deposited into Loch Leven.
They're additionally in search of “far tighter controls” to “cease Scottish Water depositing untreated sewage into Loch Leven and that every one such overspill occasions are recorded and reported”.
Tabling the movement Kinross-shire councillor Willie Roberston mentioned: “Loch Leven is one among Perth and Kinross’ main vacationer sights with an estimated 250,000 visits per 12 months. It has the very best ranges of environmental safety. It's an SSSI, a Ramsar website and a Nationwide Nature Reserve. It's house to a serious RSPB reserve and customer centre and is surrounded by the nationally widespread Loch Leven Heritage Path. The loch is managed by NatureScot.
“However now, throughout virtually 12 months of the 12 months the loch is affected by algal blooms - a few of that are poisonous to people and animals. This council has to erect indicators warning guests not to enter the water and to not permit their canines to swim within the water. How have we acquired right here?”
Impartial councillor Dave Cuthbert mentioned: “At the moment, there is no such thing as a monitoring of how a lot untreated sewage is being discharged from the waterworks in Milnathort and Kinross.
“It's crucial that monitoring of phosphorus discharges from the wastewater remedy vegetation commences as quickly as humanly doable and a restrict should be set on how a lot phosphorus will be discharged from the wastewater remedy vegetation into Loch Leven.”
Council chief Grant Laing mentioned: “I’m very glad to write down [to the environment secretary] because the movement asks me to.”
This was unanimously agreed.