Stonehaven's Open Air Swimming Pool will open to the public on Friday - but source of hydrocarbons remains a mystery.
Stonehaven's famous open air pool will finally open to the public on Friday following a month-long water quality probe.
The popular tourist attraction was due to open its doors in May, but Aberdeenshire Council were forced to shut the pool after trace levels of hydrocarbons were found in the water.
Friends of Stonehaven Open Air Pool worked around the clock to drain and refill the pool with fresh sea water in a hope of clearing the contamination.
But staff were hit with a second bombshell when minuscule levels of hydrocarbons - mainly found in crude oil - were still detected.
Health Protection Scotland were then called in last week to examine water purity tests.
Now, after four weeks of testing and checks, the tourist magnet has been given the green light to welcome bathers back into its waters.
On Friday, swimmers will get to use the art deco pool for free as the attraction looks to kickstart its tourist season, which is now it's 77th year.
Last year alone, more than 27,000 people visited the heated pool during the summer months.
Mike Robins chair of the Friends of Stonehaven Open Air Pool, said: "It's been a hugely frustrating time, but this is great news.
"We were effectively ready to go when we discovered the problem. We were absolutely shocked because we had never experienced anything like this before and it was very hard to get to grips with.
"We had no idea where the problem had come from; was it land-based or was it from the sea? After a week or so we did our own testing and took what we thought would be reasonably corrective actions with the council."
Mike said the tiny levels of hydrocarbons, which measured "minute particles per billion", started to disappear from the water after staff carried out a programme of heating and backwashing.
He continued: "It's been such a long drawn out thing, but having checked all facilities across the UK no sea water pool has ever had this problem before.
"We tested the sea and we tested other areas to try and establish where it had come from, but everything appeared to be okay.
"We brought in more sea water, but the unwanted elements were still there. Somehow or other it got in there, so we cranked up the heating in the pool and it evaporated.
"We could see on a daily basis that the levels were going down."
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: “Investigations into the water at Stonehaven Open Air Pool have concluded. Following sample testing, we have found the water is now suitable for bathing.
“Routine, scheduled sampling by the Council’s Environmental Health office will continue as usual over the summer.
“We apologise for any inconvenience and thank customers for the patience they have shown over the past few weeks.”
A delighted Mike said the pool was now open for business and wanted people to come down in their droves to make the most of the summer.
He added: "We really need people to come out in their numbers and to show their support to the pool and give us a really good opportunity to show what the pool can do."
The pool will be open on Thursday for pre-booked groups and free public sessions will take place on Friday.
Regular opening arrangements will take effect from Saturday. Further information is available from the leisure centre by calling 01569 763162.
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