Pump failure sees 1000 litres of untreated waste discharged every second
By Rob Edwards and Judith Duffy

The public were warned yesterday to avoid contact with water in the Firth of Forth following a major spill at one of Scotland's biggest sewage works.

The accident happened because of a mechanical breakdown at Seafield sewage works in Leith (pictured) on Friday afternoon. A large pump failure has led to most of Edinburgh's sewage being dumped into the Forth for more than 24 hours.

"An incident like this has never happened at Seafield," said a spokeswoman for Thames Water, which operates the plant. "It is serious and we are taking it seriously."

Engineers have been trying - and failing - to stem the flow of sewage since the pump broke, shearing 16 large bolts, at 4.30pm on Friday. At midnight last night they were still trying.

About 1000 litres a second of diluted but untreated sewage has been pouring into the Forth, prompting fears for public health and the environment. The water is used by thousands of people, and is home to a wide variety of wildlife.Yesterday the City of Edinburgh Council issued an emergency warning. "Sewage has been released into the Forth Estuary and may return to the shore," it said. "Anyone who uses waterfront recreational areas should avoid contact with the water, thoroughly wash their hands after each visit and to refrain from picking up or eating any fish or shellfish."

"We are very concerned about this incident," said council leader Ewan Aitken. "We urge people to ensure they maintain high standards of personal hygiene and do not take anything home from the beach until sewage has dispersed."

The council has put up warning notices along the shore in areas which may potentially be affected to warn residents and visitors. Environmental heath officers were patrolling beaches yesterday to alert people to the risks.

In a statement yesterday, the government's Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said it was satisfied that the necessary steps were being taken to minimise pollution. It was too early to make any comment on the impact of the accident, it stated.

"We will continue to monitor and review the situation as it develops," said a Sepa spokesman.

The incident has sparked fury among local campaigners, who say they have been warning for years that a lack of investment in the treatment plant meant it has been a "disaster waiting to happen".

Rob Kirkwood, of Leith Links Residents Association, which has been campaigning against Seafield for six years, claimed that it was not the first time that there had been a spillage.

"It is barely operating and barely capable of dealing with the sewage we have got in Edinburgh at the moment, let alone the expansion that is going to take place very soon," he said.

Duncan McLaren, chief executive of Friends of the Earth, said: "It's critical that the public are protected," he said. "There should be an urgent inquiry to ensure that mistakes are not repeated."

Thames Water said last night it had not shut down the plant because it deals with most of the waste from the capital's 800,000 population.