Fancy a BBQ? If you’re a man living in the local area (Muirhouse, Drylaw, Pilton, Granton, Royston and Wardieburn) why not join Jules next Tuesday (25th July) at Wardie Bay Beach. We’ll be meeting on the beach at 1pm.
This will be an informal event where you can meet new people, connect with nature and enjoy some food.
All local men welcome – Please let me know if you’re coming so we can confirm numbers.
Scottish bathing water season starts 1st June with more bathing waters rated excellent than ever before
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition Màiri McAllan, designates Wardie Bay and Fisherrow Sands as Scottish bathing waters
Designation brings the total number of Bathing Waters in Scotland to 89 Improvements in water quality show long-term success but there is more to do
Water quality samples will be taken by SEPA across the season and results posted online to keep visitors informed
Locals and visitors encouraged to play their part in protecting and improving the quality of bathing waters
Scotland’s summers are known for both sunshine and showers – but whatever the weather the country’s environment regulator will be collecting and analysing water samples, predicting water quality and keeping beach users informed over the next three and a half months.
The Scottish bathing water season begins on 1st June and runs until 15th September, with 1,500 water samples taken by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) staff at bathing waters around the country. In 2023 locals and visitors have more options than ever to choose from – with one brand new beach joining the list, and the nation’s first re-designation following decisions by Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition, Màiri McAllan.
Edinburgh’sWardie Bay is the latest bathing water to join the list of 89 in total, following an application by a local community group.
It joins alongside Fisherrow Sands in East Lothian, which has been re-designated following improvement works to improve water quality. Both beaches will have their water quality formally monitored and reported and will receive an official classification for the 2024 season.
2023 not only sees the highest number of bathing waters ever in Scotland, but the highest number rated excellent for water quality – and a total of 98% of locations achieving a classification of sufficient or better.
Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition, said: “As a result of our investment in protecting and improving bathing waters across Scotland we now have the highest number of designated Bathing Water sites ever, with 98% passing bathing water quality standards and more rated as ‘excellent’ than ever before.
“However, we are not complacent. We continue to work closely with SEPA and Scottish Water to monitor and improve water quality on our designated beaches and in our designated lochs, to ensure that as many people as possible are able to enjoy them throughout this summer and beyond.”
Ruth Stidson, SEPA’s Principal Scientist for bathing waters, said: “Scotland is renowned for its water environment and it starts the 2023 season with record-breaking number of bathing waters rated as ‘excellent’.
“The number of bathing waters that are now meeting the standard is a testament to the work of SEPA and partners over the years, driving investment and improvement in both rural and urban areas.
“Time at the beach can be active or restful, and for many it’s a budget-friendly day out – especially when it’s near to their home. Many living in coastal communities use them regularly for walking or quiet reflection, as well as wild swimming, paddling and water-based recreation. Visitors often plan a whole day around time near the water, including visits to local shops and cafes.
“This season our staff will take around 1,500 samples around the country, analyse them in our accredited laboratories, and post the results online. We also have a network of 30 electronic signs at bathing waters that can be affected by rain fall, where we post the predicted water quality by 10am every day so people can make informed decisions about whether to bathe or enjoy shore-based activities.
“We can also make people aware of any pollution events that may impact the water quality. This information is also available on our website and by calling our contact centre.
“The results of our annual sampling also show us where further improvements need to be made – allowing us to continue to deliver real progress in the coming years for the future of our water environment.”
Professor Simon Parsons, Scottish Water’s Strategic Customer Service Planning Director, said: “Scottish Water is committed to continuing to support the protection and improvement of Scotland’s rivers, coastal waters and beaches and we are pleased to hear from SEPA that there are more bathing waters than ever before and a record number rated excellent.
“We look forward to playing our part in ensuring bathing waters become destinations for people to enjoy Scotland’s fantastic coastal waters.
“Scottish Water has invested £2.7 billion in improving and maintaining the country’s public drainage system and infrastructure over the past decade to help improve our waters. Our Improving Urban Waters Routemap, which supports the national River Basin Management Plan objectives (92% good water quality by 2027), commits us to additional investment of up to £500m to further improve water quality.”
Coastal community spaces
Local blue and green spaces are integral to our physical and mental health. Managing them well can improve well-being and other social and cultural benefits for local communities and visitors alike.
Wardie Bay
Wardie Bay in Edinburgh is the latest location to be designated as a bathing water following an application from Wardie Bay Beachwatch and The Wild Ones who demonstrated that a large number of bathers use the water and there was community support for designation. Edinburgh Council supported the designation, accepting required duties around signage and beach cleaning.
During 2022, SEPA sampled and reported water quality at Wardie Bay due to high community usage of the beach and an active application for bathing water designation. Our evidence indicates that Wardie Bay is expected to meet bathing water standards. Now designated by the Cabinet Secretary, the beach will be formally monitored and receive an official classification for 2024.
Karen Bates, Wardie Bay Beachwatch, said: “It has taken much time and effort to achieve this result for the #wardiebay4bathingwater campaign. We can finally be delighted that Wardie Bay is to be a protected bathing water.
“We are grateful to Cabinet Secretary Mairi McAllan for her progressive decision and for support from Council members who surmounted the obstacles to designation at this complex site.
“We are grateful too that SEPA published the essential information for Wardie swimmers in 2022. Thanks particularly to all those who help protect Wardie Bay, who signed the petition, took part in the campaign film and contributed to the applications.”
Fisherrow Sands
Fisherrow Sands in East Lothian has been re-designated following a project to improve water quality. The location was de-designated in 2020 following five consecutive poor results.
Pressures included overflows from the drainage network and misconnections from homes and businesses to surface waters.
SEPA has worked closely with the Scottish Government, Scottish Water, East Lothian Council and wider stakeholders to drive improvements and ensure these issues are addressed.
Over £3 million has been spent on works to improve water quality. This includes upgrades to waste water pumping stations, resolving multiple mis-connections and improvements to the sewer network to reduce spills. Sampling evidence from 2021 and 2022 indicates that, following this work, Fisherrow Sands can meet bathing water quality.
Increasing interest in improving water quality
With growing public interest in the quality of Scotland’s water environment, the improvement in bathing waters is a testament to the work that has already happened – and the reality of the resources required.
In 2016, the first year of water quality classifications under the new Bathing Water Directive, 80% of locations were classified as sufficient or better, with 17 rated excellent and 17 rated poor. In 2023, that figure has improved dramatically, 98% of bathing waters are rated sufficient or better, with 38 excellent and two poor.
Our Scottish climate impacts on water quality – due to heavy rain washing contaminants off both rural and urban land and overflows from sewage systems. As a result, it is recommended that users do not bathe for up to two days after heavy rain – and beaches with SEPA electronic signs will warn against bathing when poor water is predicted.
SEPA has focussed on improvement plans at all poor beaches to identify the causes and work with partners to realise real change.
SEPA has ensured Scottish Water investment has been targeted at areas where it will have the greatest impact, with major improvements in water quality at locations that had long-term issues such as Irvine and Ayr, following projects to upgrade sewage systems, install new treatment and investigate mis-connections. Scottish Water has invested £24.5m on bathing water improvements since 2015, including £10m at Ayr.
In addition, Scottish Water has committed to installing monitors and publishing near real-time data on every CSO discharging to a Bathing or Shellfish Water by the end of 2024. SEPA will ensure this commitment is delivered.
SEPA officers have walked river catchments and worked with farmers, who have started using new practices and spent significant sums of money on additional slurry storage facilities and installing alternative means of livestock watering to reach compliance.
Some have gone even further than is legally required, by planting riparian zones which move their farming activities further away from the water’s edge. Past improvements have led to more than 90% of farms being compliant – an increase of 50% in ten years.
The two bathing waters classified as poor for 2023, Lower Largo (designated in 2022) and Kinghorn (Harbour) both in Fife, have improvement plans in place.
SEPA is carrying out investigations at Kinghorn to identify the cause of this recent deterioration and further monitoring is planned. At Lower Largo, Scottish Water have been carrying out work to help assess bathing water impacts from the local drainage network. This work includes camera surveys, sampling and testing for misconnections from properties, which will help inform future improvement options.
SEPA will continue to monitor and report water quality and determine how best to drive water quality improvements over the next few years.
My Beach Your Beach project shows improvements in litter and dog fouling
My Beach, Your Beach launched in 2018, and over the last five years has supported bathing water quality improvements at seven Scottish beaches, in partnership with local community groups and beach managers.
You can find out more, watch the campaign film and read the report at My Beach, Your Beach (keepscotlandbeautiful.org)
On 8th June, World Ocean Day, 7pm-late, please come and celebrate the Wardie Bay Bathing Water designation.
Bring a costume, friends and something to drink or nibble and we’ll hopefully sing to the sea with gratitude to everyone involved in making this finally happen.
The Royal Forth Yacht Club is gearing up now with a good number of boats and volunteers for our annual RYA Scotland #DiscoverSailing day at #GrantonHarbour on the #Edinburgh shoreline.
On Sunday 21st May, 1-5pm, we will throw open our doors and offer short sailing trips to all. Many thanks to our members who have volunteered for this valuable event.
We also welcome the following organisations who will be taking stalls on the day:
Don’t miss out on this major Royal Forth Yacht Club event this weekend … the Platinum Jubilee Parade of Sail
On the afternoon of Saturday 4th June, Wardie Bay will be filled with the Royal Forth armada of boats. To those members who haven’t signed up so far, don’t miss out on this unique occasion. To all our neighbours, do join in for what will be a fun afternoon both on the water and shore side.
RFYC seeks to create a colourful spectacle, inviting all boat owners to sail a short downwind course across Wardie Bay flying either a spinnaker or goose winged. For motor boats, the flying of flags is encouraged.
Depending on the wind direction, it involves sailing a short course from near the mouth of the harbour to Newhaven or the opposite direction.
We start from 2.30pm, when the launch commences, and the Parade begins at 4.00pm.
Throughout, within the club, our new BBQ will be fired up and the bar will be open. So, whether taking part or spectating, don’t miss out! We will be capturing the event with drone footage.
Every boat taking part will be entered into a Jubilee prize draw with a chance to win a sought after prize!
Follow the link below for more event info and it would be helpful if members could register your boat to take part:
SEPA will carry out water quality sampling during 2022 season
Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan, has not designated Wardie Bay as a Scottish bathing water for the 2022 season
Due to high number of users SEPA will take samples during the season to monitor water quality
Locals and visitors are encouraged to play their part in protecting and improving local water quality
Wardie Bay in Edinburgh has not been designated as one of Scotland’s designated bathing waters following a decision by Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan MSP.
However, Scotland’s environmental regulator will take water samples and publish them online, reflecting the high number of users during the season, which runs from 1 June to 15 September.
Application for designation
The application for bathing water status was submitted by Wardie Bay Beachwatch.
The submission was considered by the Bathing Water Review Panel and recommendations based on the criteria for designation were passed to the Minister for Environment and Land Reform.
Evidence provided confirmed that Wardie Bay had a large number of bathers, and there was community support for the designation. The third requirement, around beach management, has not yet been met.
Given the level of community use and the commitment from City of Edinburgh Council to continue to work towards accepting beach management responsibilities, SEPA will sample Wardie Bay from May to September 2022 and results will be publicly available on a dedicated section of SEPA’s website.
Nathan Critchlow-Watton, SEPA’s Interim Head of Water and Planning, said: “Scotland’s natural environment is world renowned. Our waters are at their best status on record and the best in the UK, including 99% of bathing waters meeting strict environmental standards in 2021.
“As well as the physical and mental health benefits that being outdoors can provide, bathing waters can support local economies by encouraging visitors.
“Due to the high level of community use, and the ongoing work by City of Edinburgh Council. SEPA’s specialist teams will take samples throughout the bathing water season, providing water quality information for the local community and visitors.”
Help improve our beaches and coastlines
Communities and visitors to Scotland’s beaches can also help to protect our water environment, even when they’re not there.
It’s important that people understand the impact what they flush away can have on the environment – and their local bathing water. Every year Scottish Water teams deal with around 36,000 blockages, costing customers about £7 million annually, and around 80% of those are caused by people flushing the wrong items down the toilet, or pouring fats, oil and grease down the sink. These blockages in the sewer system can result in spills of pollution into the environment.
Whether you are at home, at work or on holiday, Scottish Water provides advice on how to protect the network, and Scotland’s water environment, at scottishwater.co.uk/naturecalls
Protecting our bathing waters while at the beach is also vital. Waste from animals or litter is not just unsightly, it can have a negative impact on the environment. So, visitors are encouraged to take litter home, clean up after their dogs and avoid feeding the gulls, ensuring a good beach experience for everyone who visits.
Following a Freedom of Information request the Scottish Government has released the following submission from Forth Ports:
Wardie Bay was not included on the list of Scotland’s designated bathing waters when it was published on 1st July.
The Wardie Bay Beachwatch environmental group appealed the decision and received the following response from the Scottish Government’s Environmental Quality Unit last month:
Thank you for your letter to Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, about the application for Bathing Waters designation at Wardie Bay, Edinburgh. Bathing Waters fall under the remit of Mairi McAllan, Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform, and I have been asked to reply.
The Bathing Waters Review Panel is multi-stakeholder group, chaired by SEPA, that considers and reviews the list of bathing waters, including new applications for designation and provides recommendations to Scottish Ministers. The Panel met on 8 December 2020 and made recommendations to the Minister for Wardie Bay bathing water designation application in May 2021.
The panel recognised numerous positive aspects of the Wardie Bay application and agreed that user number criteria was met in 2020 and seemed sustainable. However, Forth Ports provided a submission which mentioned swimmer safety in relation to offshore vessel/harbour activity, and this would have to be managed by clear beach management and bather information.
The relevant local authority, City of Edinburgh Council, indicated overall support in principle for the application. However, despite the Transport and Environment committee outcomes you mention in your letter, there are still on-going discussions at Committee level on their current roles and resource to perform beach management functions.
As beach management is a key criteria for designation, until such times as the City of Edinburgh Council concludes its deliberations on these matters, the Panel was unable to recommend designation.
Having considered the Panel’s advice on the circumstances at Wardie Bay, the Minister accepted the Panel’s recommendation that Wardie Bay is not designated as a bathing water at this time, noting that the outcome of the Council’s current deliberations on beach management will inform the Panel’s future recommendation regarding this location.
I hope you find this information helpful.
The group’s petition to have Wardie Bay included on the list of designated bathing waters remains live on Change.org – over 1730 people have signed so far.
