Kinglassie residents are baffled by mysterious rusty-coloured pollution which has killed wildlife in the Lochty Burn.
A year ago, the burn was a haven for wildlife and provided a flourishing habitat for fish and ducks. Recently, however, the water has on occasion been running orange with iron deposits and Kinglassie Action Group believes biodiversity has suffered as a result.
Group secretary Allan Taaffe called for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to take action.
He said: ”For some time now, Kinglassie Action Group has been trying through various groups and individuals to find the source of the heavy pollution in the burn that flows through Kinglassie.
”This pollution, which is apparently in the main due to high deposits of ferrous material from a source yet to be identified, has seen wildlife that used to frequent the water completely eliminated.
”There used to be fish in the burn and there used to be ducks, but there’s nothing there now.
”SEPA have already been up to the burn and couldn’t find the source of it. Something is obviously rusting away somewhere and the rain is washing it through.
”It’s really just happened in the last year. Whether someone is dumping something there or not, we just don’t know. We feel that SEPA have been half-hearted in their attempts to find out what is going on there.”
Kinglassie is west of Glenrothes and is surrounded by old coal mines. In the past, orange deposits in burns and streams have been linked to pollution from mine operations.
SEPA said it was working with Scottish Coal to resolve the problem.
A spokeswoman said: ”SEPA was first made aware of the recent occurrence of a ferrous orange discoloration, usually associated with mine water pollution, in the Lochty Burn early this year. Since then, SEPA has been involved in trying to find the source of the problem and has been working with Scottish Coal on this matter.
”SEPA have taken samples for analysis at various relevant points near North Pitkinny Farm, Westfield open cast coal site and Kinglassie so as to obtain a better understanding of the potential sources of the minewater discolouration.
”However, it does not appear to be either a simple or straightforward matter to resolve, given the likely involvement of groundwater and associated breakout points which can affect surface waters.
”To date, SEPA has not found any obvious points where minewater was directly discharging to the Lochty Burn. SEPA will continue to progress this matter with Scottish Coal.”