A £45,000 borehole project has been approved in an effort to rid Arbroath’s Keptie Pond of unsightly summer algae.
Not so long ago a local leisure gem, recent years have seen the arrival of warm weather also herald a covering on unsightly slime on the surface of the former boating pond.
Temporary solutions to the problem have included teams of workmen scooping out tonnes of algae during the summer months, but councillors have been keen to pursue a more permanent fix.
A report detailing a number of options to tackle the problem was initially presented to elected members around 18 months ago and the latest meeting of the full Angus Council has selected a scheme to pump five figures from the town Common Good into the technical solution.
The borehole will be tapped into existing ground water and, using pumping equipment, the authority will be able to keep the pond topped up to avoid the low water levels which contribute to the algal growth.
Among the options ruled out was a proposal to maintain the status quo and simply clear up the algae at an estimated cost of £8000 a year.
But the borehole solution will not be in place in time to avoid the growth of algal blooms this summer, and council neighbourhood services director Ron Ashton admitted the chosen option will not completely rid the pond of the slime.
“Although topping up the water levels will not fully remove the problem, it is believed that this procedure should greatly reduce the problem down to a manageable level and therefore form a sustainable long-term solution.”
Neighbourhood services convener and Arbroath councillor Jim Millar led local support for the long-awaited step forward.
“The algae is not dangerous, but it is unsightly,” he said. “This represents a real opportunity to resolve the issues that have beset the pond for a number of years.”
Arbroath independent Bob Spink said, “I have been heavily involved in this issue since it started and I am also pleased to see this coming forward.
“I think this is a good instance of the councillors working together and discussing things in a proper manner to bring something forward for the benefit of everybody.”