Home / Disasters and Accidents / Killin's Water Warning: Diesel Spill Contained, Avoid Tap Water
Killin's Water Warning: Diesel Spill Contained, Avoid Tap Water
22 Feb
Summary
- Diesel spill into River Dochart is clearing; water still unsafe to drink.
- Around 40,000 bottles of water distributed by volunteers.
- Tap water unusable for drinking, cooking, or washing until further notice.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has indicated that a diesel spillage into the River Dochart, which subsequently affected the River Tay in Perthshire, is now clearing. Visual inspections show the east end of Loch Tay and the River Tay from Kenmore to Aberfeldy are clear of visible impacts.
Despite containment measures being deployed, residents in Killin are still advised that the water is not safe to drink. This advisory comes after a local petrol station reported an attempted fuel theft that damaged a storage tank, causing the spill. Volunteers have been instrumental, distributing around 40,000 bottles of water to affected households.
Scottish Water teams are working continuously to flush the water system, a process expected to take several days. Residents are urged not to use tap water for any purpose other than flushing toilets. Boiling the water will not make it safe. Sepa continues to monitor the situation closely, with containment booms and absorbent materials in place near the spill's source, though some oil may continue to be washed downstream.
