CLACKS residents have been warned not to pour any potentially-damaging chemicals down street drains after a pollution scare on the River Devon this week.

Investigators from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) were called out to the Wee County to assess a possible contamination of the water way between Menstrie and Tullibody.

The ‘discolouration’ of the water (pictured) was called in by a member of the public over the weekend but was apparently washed away before Monday afternoon.

Jill Gillard, environment protection officer at SEPA, said they had been unable to say for sure what caused it but insisted there was no likely hazard to the local area.

She said: “We did receive a call to our pollution hotline about discolouration of the River Devon between Menstrie and Tullibody over the weekend.

“An officer has been out to the site but there was no sign of any pollution when they arrived.

“As it had been raining this may have washed it through the system, but there was no sign of any solids on the bed of the river or of any dead fish.

“As such it’s unlikely there was any impact on the environment.” Ms Gillard issued a reminder to Clackmannanshire residents not to pour waste products down street drains as it can possibly lead to contamination of the county’s rivers.

She added: “The officer investigated the outfall pipe that the discolouration appears to have come from, which is a surface water drain.

“This means the most likely source is someone pouring something down a street drain to dispose of it.

“Unfortunately most people don’t realise that the majority of street drains lead straight to local water courses, and should never have anything poured down them.

“The officer drove around to look at surface water drains in the area, but could find no evidence near any of them of anything which may have caused this discolouration.” Any member of the public wishing to contact SEPA can do so at www.sepa.org.uk/contact or can call the pollution hotline direct on 0800 80 70 60.