THE First Minister has issued a statement after residents of a Scottish town were told not to drink tap water after oil was spilt into a nearby river.
More than 500 properties in Killin, Stirlingshire, have been impacted by the spillage, Scottish Water has said.
The spillage is believed to have been caused by a "botched" fuel robbery which left a storage tank damaged.
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John Swinney has posted a response to the concerns raised by locals, saying on X: " There is understandable concern in Highland Perthshire about the implications for water courses after the diesel spillage at Killin.
[Scottish Water] and [the Scottish Environment Protection Agency] have provided assurances that monitoring is in place to protect the environment and water supplies."
There is understandable concern in Highland Perthshire about the implications for water courses after the diesel spillage at Killin. @scottish_water and @ScottishEPA have provided assurances that monitoring is in place to protect the environment and water supplies.
— John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) February 21, 2026
Certas Energy, which operates the Gulf Lix Toll site near the village, confirmed the major contamination incident was caused by a botched diesel robbery at the temporarily closed petrol station.
It said in a statement that a fuel tank was damaged during the attempted theft, resulting in a loss of diesel, which leaked into the nearby river which runs into Loch Tay on Thursday evening.
A spokesperson for Certas Energy said equipment was found on site of the temporarily closed petrol station that suggested there was an attempt to steal diesel from the tank.
They said: “Certas Energy, operator of the Gulf Lix Toll site at Killin, is as concerned as everyone else at the impact of this incident on the local community and the local environment. This is our priority.
“We were informed of a fuel loss at the site on Friday morning following an attempted robbery which damaged one of our fuel tanks. Equipment was found on site that suggested there was an attempt to steal diesel from the tank.
“We are now investigating to fully understand what happened, are engaging with the police, SEPA, the Health and Safety Executive and other specialists at the site. These investigations are ongoing.”
Scottish Water has been delivering bottled water to residents and businesses in the town. A hot food van is also operating in Killin on Saturday to assist customers who cannot prepare meals without access to safe tap water.
Water operations general manager John Griffen said: “Our priority is to protect public health by making sure no contaminated water enters the supply network.
“We are doing everything we can to support customers who have been affected by providing reliable alternative supplies while the normal supply is unavailable.
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“That includes specialist staff who can provide advice to households and businesses on an individual level. Volunteers are also being mobilised to help with bottled water.
“We are working incredibly hard to restore the treatment works and network to normal operations as quickly and safely as possible although this may take several days.”
Scottish Water continues to advise those in the area not to use tap water for any purpose other than flushing toilets.
This includes drinking, cooking, washing, brushing teeth, feeding pets and the use of appliances such as coffee and ice machines that are connected to the mains supply. Boiling the water will not make it safe to drink.
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