Something in the water? Residents battle Scottish Hydro over alleged water contamination
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Scottish Hydro Electric has landed itself in hot water over a planning change at its Knocknagael to Tomatin overhead line.
Scottish Hydro has applied for retrospective planning permission for three access tracks to the Farr site which deviate from the consented scheme.
However, their application has attracted 11 objections from neighbours, who fear their water supply has become contaminated by animal droppings.
Both Highland Council and SEPA maintain that the development is 'unlikely' to have affected the water supply.
Highland Council planners have recommended the application for granting at a meeting of south planning committee on 1 November.
Access tracks required for maintenance and recreation
The area in question is an overhead power line installed by Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission at Farr in Strathnairn.
The council granted permission for three access tracks to be built during construction of the Knocknagael–Tomatin power line.
However, the tracks are still in place and deviate from the consented scheme.
Council planners advised Scottish Hydro they would need to either remove the tracks and restore the ground to its original condition, or apply for retrospective planning permission.
The energy company says the tracks are essential for ongoing maintenance, and also support recreation and fishing at Loch Bunachton.
Track one is a floating pathway providing access to the site over the wet, peaty ground.
The second track serves towers 16 to 20 from the B861, and it’s well used by the landowner and people wanting to fish in the loch.
Track three also provides access through the forest to the overhead line but it passes within 250 metres of a private water supply for neighbouring homes.
Residents say water is now ‘unsafe to drink’
The retrospective planning application has attracted 11 objections from 10 households. The issue is the private water supply which serves five homes in Blar Buidhe, Achvaneran and Beachan.
Residents say Tordarroch Estate installed the water supply in the 1950s and it has provided safe and sufficient water for at least 37 years.
However, they have tested the water supply and say it now fails for bacteriological quality.
A sample of the water taken in 2018 found pathogenic bacteria which could be an indicator of faecal matter from deer or livestock. The samples contained Coliform bacteria, E. Coli and Enterococci.
Scottish Hydro undertook its own risk assessment of the water supply in 2021 and concluded that the risk of contamination is 'negligible'. This is partly because the water supply is uphill from the track.
Highland Council’s environmental health officer notes that Scottish Hydro’s risk assessment looked only at the risks associated with retaining the track – and not at issues raised during construction.
However, there are problems with the residents’ report too. While it did show some contamination, residents couldn’t provide tests of the water quality before construction began. So there is not a clear cause and effect.
Deer plus hillwalkers equals droppings?
SEPA and environmental health both say that the private water source is open to birds and wildlife. As such, some bacterial contamination is to be expected.
They also say that if the water supply was contaminated during construction – from concrete for instance – this would show up in the chemical analysis.
In fact, both SEPA and environmental health say they are satisfied that the water is safe.
The neighbours have their own theory. They claim the lush vegetation on site is attracting more deer and the new access tracks bring more hillwalkers. The deer are taking fright and running uphill, resulting in contamination to the water supply.
They want Scottish Hydro to provide a new private water supply for their properties.
The application will go before the council’s south planning committee on Tuesday.
