Councillor Draeyk van der Horn reports sewage in a Kinloss burn near Findhorn Bay to Scottish Water

A Moray councillor said that he was shocked to see sewage pouring into a local beauty spot in his ward.

Councillor Draeyk van der Horn (Forres, Green Party) said that he reported the incident to Scottish Water as soon as he was told about the effluent clearly evident in a burn near new housing in Kinloss by the Findhorn road.

Cllr van der Horn said: “They responded quickly.

“However, I did not receive a follow up call or assurance that the outflow of sewage hadn’t damaged or had a detrimental impact on Findhorn Bay. Given that it is a Ramsar site and nature reserve the impact of sewage pollution on a fragile ecosystem is concerning, as is the wider public health issue of sewage entering burn.”

Ramsar sites, Cllr van der Horn explained, are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention.

Scottish Water confirmed that they received a report of suspected pollution in the bay area.

Operatives attended to determine the source and what actions were required.

A spokeswoman explained: “The pumping station continued operating even during further routine inspections.

“However, the choke was caused by wipes and root ingress. A full clean-up of sewage-related debris was carried out during the initial visit by our sewer response team and reported through our environmental pollution incident processes.

“Customers are reminded that only the 3’Ps’ – pee, poo and paper – should be flushed down the toilet. Many wipes contain plastic and can also block drains, spoil beaches and rivers, and harm fish and birds. Remember to always bin wipes, period products and other bathroom waste items.”

Scottish Water encourages the reporting of any suspected pollution in a river, stream or watercourse.

These incidents can be reported by phoning 0800 0778 778.