Reply To: Forth Mill -Kilbagie

Water Supply

Water for Forth / Kilbagie Mill was supplied from three boreholes and a small loch in the hills, one Km to the east of the mill.
The artificial loch, called Peppermill Dam, collected run-off from around 3 square Km but was mainly supplied by pumping from Longannet Coal Mine 2 Km to the south. The water from the mine and therefore the dam was very high in iron which was a problem in the mill, especially when they were making fine paper grades with OBA. Treatment of the inlet water was aluminium sulphate and polymer followed by settling.
In March 2002 a severe flooding occurred in the mine and shortly afterwards the mining company went into receivership cutting off any prospect of further water for the mill from that source. As part of the technical support being provided by Quasar Chemicals to the mill, a study of rainfall accumulation was made, with the conclusion that the deinking operation would need to be redesigned to work with the reduced water supply.
Leicester Paper Company shut the mill shortly afterwards.