Clean-up team back at polluted Midlothian burn

Sewage on Mary Burn, off the River South Esk, pictured in September.

As previously reported in the Advertiser, sewage was discovered in September in the burn, which is situated off the River South Esk, near Easthouses.

Midlothian North MSP Colin Beattie (SNP) has been in constant contact with Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to ask them to take measures to remove the pollution at the Mary Burn.

Scottish Water last week advised that their partners EEG, which provides a range of drainage maintenance and response services, would be back on site until the end of last week, returning on January 3. They have asked EEG for a completion date and once they have one, which Scottish Water can be confident they can adhere to, then Mr Beattie will be provided with a further update.

He said: “I welcome the action that Scottish Water has taken and I thank them for keeping me updated. I am unhappy with the speed of progress, but pleased that the different stakeholders have engaged positively.

Scottish Water is also organising for samples of the water to be taken. It will take approximately one week to get test results of these samples. I hope to receive an update regarding this in the near future.

Mr Beattie added: “I hope that Scottish Water adhere to the timescale provided and that they do update me as soon as they have received the water test results, and also with a completion date.

“I again encourage all residents to think before they flush!”

A Scottish Water spokeswoman said: “There is work still be done at Maryburn and we currently have a clean-up team on site. We have carried out a number of adjustments to the sewer network which are designed to help prevent further pollution incidents.

“We will continue the clean-up in the new year when we will be launching a campaign to raise awareness of what items should not be flushed down the loo.”