Parents and pet owners have been warned after residents reported an ‘overpowering’ stench of raw sewage coming off a local river.
The South Esk, which flows through Dalkeith, made headlines last month when it turned orange due to poisonous water from a flooded mine, and then white after a DIY enthusiast tipped paint down a nearby drain.
Now locals say the river is giving off an almighty stench.
One resident, Geraldine Fergusson, said: “Just back from an early morning walk round Newbattle Abbey. The smell of raw sewage from the river was overpowering”.
Another resident said it was an ongoing problem, adding: “I was down this morning too and it was really bad.”
Another local warned against letting pets or children near the stinking river, saying: “It’s really bad at the moment. I won’t let my dogs anywhere near the water and would worry about children.”
Locals said the source of the foul smell was an outflow near the A7 at Lothian Bridge, one referring to it as ‘the usual culprit’.
Numerous posts on social media show the river with bags of trash in it, foul-smelling milky fluids leaking into it and other pollution.
Edinburgh Live previously reported that the South Esk had turned a bright orange after acidic water from a nearby flooded coal mine seeped into the river, damaging animals living there.
A spokesperson for Scottish Water said: "We are aware of an overflow from the sewer network near Newbattle late last week which happened during heavy rainfall. Combine Sewer Overflows (CSOs) act as a relief point on the sewer network and are vital to avoid internal and external sewer flooding. CSOs are licensed and regulated by SEPA and are allowed to spill into watercourses under certain conditions. The levels of untreated sewage in storm water discharged is very dilute and it is uncommon for this to generate any odour.
"We have investigate this and arranged a clean-up of some of the un-flushable items which were present. Scottish Water urges people not to put items like wet wipes and sanitary products down loos or to put fats and grease down sinks to help prevent blockages in the sewer system and protect the environment.”
More recently the river turned white, this pollution was linked to a nearby storm drain where someone had apparently tipped away paint.
Locals said they had reported this most recent incident to Scottish Water.
