Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland’s annual report
The Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) for Scotland’s latest annual report shows that Scottish Water’s compliance with the stringent standards for drinking water remains very high, although continued investment is needed to ensure it stays that way in the face of a number of challenges.
Matt Bower, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator said: “Our drinking water in Scotland is amongst the finest in the world; however, ageing water treatment assets and changing source water quality mean that we cannot take this for granted.
“We must ensure that the scale and pace of investment in the maintenance and replacement of water assets is sufficient to safeguard the consistently high quality of our drinking water for future generations.”
The report, covering Drinking Water Quality in Scotland during 2023, states that a total of 272,017 regulatory tests were carried out on Scotland’s drinking water last year. Of those tests on samples taken to represent quality at consumers’ taps, 99.88% met the required standards. A direct comparison with previous years is not possible due to changes in the numbers and locations of samples.
The quality of water leaving water treatment works and treated water storage points, while still high, showed a slight deterioration in compliance with the standards on the previous year.
The number of water quality incidents requiring detailed investigation by the DWQR during 2023 was 29, a very similar figure to previous years.
A full copy of Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 2023 is available at www.dwqr.org.uk
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)
98% of Scotland’s bathing waters pass environmental standards:
38 (44%) of bathing waters will be rated ‘excellent’ for 2023 – the highest since tighter standards first came into force in 2015.47 (54%) will achieve ‘good’ or ‘sufficient’ status for 2023
Two (2%) will have ‘poor’ status for 2023
Previous projects to improve water quality are now showing sustained improvements across Scotland
Ayr (South Beach) maintains ‘good’ status following significant improvements over many years.
Management plans at Dhoon Bay improved water quality in 2022.
Projects are in development for the two ‘poor’ Fife beaches to improve water quality
Farmers and land managers have continued to show good compliance with environmental regulations.
Targeted investments by Scottish Water have helped to reduce risks and improve water quality.
Scotland’s bathing water quality continues to improve with 38 out of 87 (44%) rated as ‘excellent’ for 2023. This is the highest number ever and highlights sustained improvements in bathing water quality, achieved through partnership projects.
Overall bathing water quality has seen ongoing improvements since 2015, when tighter standards first came into force. For next season, 85 sites will meet or exceed the sufficient classification.
Since 2015, 15 bathing waters have improved their classification from ‘poor’ to ‘sufficient’ or better. This is testament to the on-going partnership working taking place to drive forward water quality in Scotland. Whilst next year two bathing waters will have a ‘poor’ classification, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) intends to drive the same improvements that have successfully been achieved at other sites.
Scotland’s results(*):
2022/23
2021/22
2020/21
2019/20
2018/19
2017/18
2016/17
2015/16
Excellent
38 (44%)
32 (38%)
Results carried over
29 (34%
28 (32%)
25 (29%)
26 (31%)
17 (20%)
Good
35 (40%)
35 (41%)
31 (36%)
35 (41%)
34 (40%)
36 (43%)
38 (45%)
Sufficient
12 (14%)
17 (20%)
20 (24%)
13 (15%)
16 (19%)
11 (13%)
12 (14%)
Poor
2 (2%)
1 (1%)
5 (6%)
10 (12%)
11 (13%)
11 (13%)
17 (20%)
Total
87
85
85
86
86
84
84
Sources of pollution at Scotland’s bathing waters are often complex and interlinked, requiring action from a range of organisations and people. Progress is being made through working with partners and communities to coordinate activities and identify actions to address water quality challenges, particularly around diffuse pollution, sewage and urban sources.
One of Scotland’s most popular visitor areas, Ayr (South Beach), will maintain its ‘good’ status, achieved in 2021/22, following targeted improvement actions to reduce pollution. The status of the water quality is the result of several years of partnership working between SEPA, Ayrshire livestock farmers and Scottish Water, supported by South Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Government. These improvements were significant and there is good confidence that a similar classification should be maintained in future years.
Dhoon Bay has achieved ‘sufficient’ status for 2023. Rated ‘poor’ for the last four years, the improved water quality is a result of targeted action. This involved partnership working between the local community and tourism businesses, Scottish Water, and the local authority and focused on improvements to the treatment of private sewage as well as reducing run-off from agricultural land.
The Scottish Government provided funding to address inputs from private sewage treatment systems. This work is ongoing.
Other long-term projects
At Sandyhills, in Dumfries and Galloway, SEPA worked with farmers and NFU Scotland to tackle issues related to diffuse pollution, leading to sustained improvements to water quality. Having previously been rated ‘poor’, Sandyhills has achieved two successive ‘good’ classifications and will be rated ‘good’ again in 2023.
Heads of Ayr in Ayrshire has achieved an ‘excellent’ and ‘good’ classification in the last two seasons, following ‘poor’ classifications in previous years. It will maintain its ‘good’ again in 2023. It has seen investment in sewage treatment, surface water drainage and farms complying with requirements. This has resulted in significant water quality improvement.
The Nairn Central and Nairn East bathing waters will be rated ‘good’ for 2023. These sites have had consistent ratings since passing in 2018. Having been a priority project, progress was made through working with partners and communities to coordinate activities and identify actions to address water quality challenges, particularly around diffuse pollution, sewage and urban sources.
Luss Bay will be ‘sufficient’ for the 2023 bathing season and improvements in the water quality in what is a very popular area for visitors will be taken forward by SEPA with partner organisations including Argyll & Bute Council, the Luss Estate, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, Scottish Water, local businesses and residents.
Scotland had two newly designated Bathing Waters in 2022.
Barassie in Ayrshire achieved a ‘sufficient’ classification, while Lower Largo, in Fife, will be rated as ‘poor’ for the 2023 bathing season. A Scottish Water project at Lower Largo has been assessing potential sources of pollution into local burns, including testing for misconnections in nearby properties. SEPA will continue to monitor and report water quality and determine how best to drive water quality improvements over the next few years.
Kinghorn (Harbour Beach) will be rated as ‘poor’ for 2023, following ‘sufficient’ classifications in 2019 and 2021. SEPA is carrying out investigations and further monitoring is planned. SEPA will work with partners to identify and resolve issues.
Ruth Stidson, SEPA’s Principal Scientist for Bathing Waters, said: “Seeing the long-term bathing water quality improvements reflected in this year’s results demonstrates that the sustained hard work by public bodies, private businesses and communities has made a real improvement across Scotland.
“More of our bathing waters will be rated ‘excellent’ than ever before and, overall, 98% are meeting strict environmental standards. We have the largest number of designated bathing waters on record which is good news for the increasing popularity of wild swimming and the communities, businesses and visitors who enjoy our coastlines.
“This has demonstrated the success of driving improvements in water quality through targeted regulation and partnership working. SEPA will continue to work to protect and improve water quality across Scotland with a range of stakeholders, including local authorities, public bodies, farmers and local communities and businesses. We will use our expertise to provide advice and guidance, recommend actions and – when it is appropriate to do so – take robust enforcement action.”
Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “Scotland’s bathing waters are not only important to our environment, they provide spaces for recreation and contribute to good health and well-being. That’s why it’s so great to see more bathing waters across the country rated excellent than ever before.
“The number of bathing waters in Scotland has increased since last year and now stands at 87, with 98% achieving the bathing water quality standards.
“By investing in improving bathing waters across Scotland, we have made sure many more people – tourists and locals alike – can continue to enjoy them, which is good for our communities and our local economies.”
Simon Parsons, Director of Strategic Customer Service Planning, Scottish Water, said:“Scottish Water is committed to continuing to support the protection and improvement of Scotland’s rivers, coastal waters and beaches.
“Last December, we published our improving urban waters route map announcing plans to invest up to half a billion pounds more in Scotland’s waste water network to deliver further improvements and ensure that Scotland’s rivers, beaches and urban waters are free from sewage related debris.
“Our customers can play a huge part in preventing debris in rivers and on beaches. Our national campaign ‘Nature Calls’ urges customers not to flush wet wipes (and other items) down the toilet and we are calling for a complete ban on the sale of wet wipes containing plastic.”
Working with farmers to improve Scotland’s rivers
SEPA has been working alongside NFU Scotland over a number of years to help farmers and rural land managers across Scotland reduce diffuse pollution.
This has been an issue affecting both Ayrshire and Rockcliffe bathing water catchments. In the Ayr (South Beach) bathing water catchment there are only a handful of farms SEPA is still working with to achieve compliance.
All others are fully compliant, with many adopting new practices and spending significant sums of money to improve slurry storage, fence off water courses and install alternative water supplies for livestock.
Around £50 million has been spent on improvements in Ayrshire’s Bathing waters, through self-funding and grants from Scottish Government, and in many cases, farmers have gone even further than is legally required to help protect Scotland’s water environment from farming activities.
In 2022, SEPA issued a farmer with a £600 fixed monetary penalty for a failure to comply with or contravene a General Binding rule. The farmer, who had previously been compliant, failed to prevent significant erosion or poaching of land within 5m of the Corraford Burn, which is within the Dhoon catchment.
Bathing water quality monitoring and prediction
Scotland has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but also experiences some of the wettest weather in Europe. Heavy rain can have an impact on water quality at bathing waters due to pollutants being washed into rivers from sewage treatment systems, roads and pavements.
Scotland’s official bathing water season runs between 1 June and 15 September. Throughout the season, SEPA’s specialist teams sample the designated waters providing regular water quality information which is published on the SEPA website. Pre-season sampling is carried out during May.
Monitoring water quality in this way means SEPA can provide information on water quality for bathing and develop a strategy for any water quality improvements needed.
Electronic messaging signs, at selected bathing waters across Scotland, provide real-time predictions of water quality during the season.
Climate change has already caused a rapid and extensive warming of Scotland’s lochs and reservoirs with impacts expected to intensify, research has revealed for the first time.
A report published today by Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), shows that between 2015 and 2019, 97% of monitored Scottish lochs and reservoirs have increased in temperature. While most warmed by up to 1.0°C per year over this period, 9% increased by more than that – some by up to 1.3°C per year.
Researchers warn that these changes increase the risk of harmful algal blooms developing, which could restrict their use for recreation and water supply, and as a safe habitat for wildlife.
It is expected that waters in the south and east of Scotland are expected to warm the most at first, but this climate-related impact will reach all parts of the country by 2040.
The report makes a number of recommendations to address these impacts in the immediate term, as well as further research to improve our understanding of climate impacts on the complex functioning of lochs and reservoirs.
Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “This important research provides yet more worrying evidence of the risks of harm from climate change on Scotland’s water environment.
“It is vital that we do more to mitigate those impacts, to seek to reduce the pace of warming but also to adapt to it. We have committed £243 million since 2015 through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme to support land management practices which protect and enhance Scotland’s natural heritage, improve water quality, manage flood risk and mitigate and adapt to climate change.
“Scotland is renowned worldwide for the quality of our water. Research like this will be hugely valuable in informing the development of policy solutions and measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and also protect, restore and enhance these vital natural assets.”
Freshwater ecologist Dr Linda May of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), lead author of the report, said: “This research has shown, for the first time, that climate change is already warming our lochs and reservoirs in Scotland, and that this trend is likely to continue.
“It provides early warning of the potential impacts of climate change on biodiversity, water supply and recreational use, and highlights the need for mitigation measures to be put in place as quickly as possible.”
Dr Pauline Lang, project manager for CREW, said: “This pioneering research led by experts at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology demonstrates that, without intervention, climate-driven risk is projected to further increase by 2040.
“To prevent the modelled scenarios becoming reality, we trust the recommendations proposed will enable effective climate action for safeguarding freshwaters now and during the critical decades ahead.
“This project is a great example of how CREW can pivot towards Scotland’s water-related needs by bringing a community of researchers and stakeholders together to collaborate on addressing the most important environmental concerns of this time.”
NatureScot Freshwater and Wetlands Advice Manager Iain Sime said: “Scotland, like the rest of the world, is facing an unprecedented climate emergency. The findings of this comprehensive review are stark, demonstrating the impact that climate change is already having on our freshwater lochs and reservoirs, and their biodiversity.
“The need for urgent action is clear, and at NatureScot we are using the £65m Nature Restoration Fund to prioritise efforts that support the conservation of our lochs and ponds.”
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Senior Ecologist Ian Milne said: “CREW’s report, which used SEPA data from 142 lochs and reservoirs, is important in highlighting some of the climate change pressures Scotland’s environment is facing.
“The findings emphasise the significance of SEPA’s ongoing work to tackle the threats of climate change and biodiversity loss, which is being done in partnership with Scottish Government, local authorities, Scottish Water, environment and community groups, farmers, land managers and others through our River Basin Management Plans.”
A summer of learning, celebrating and caring for Portobello Beach has come to a close, as environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful reports on its My Beach, Your Beach campaign.
Launched in mid-July, just as we were easing out of lockdown, the campaign aimed to help improve water quality at six of Scotland’s well-loved beaches through targeted interventions to encourage better attitudes and behaviours.
Now, as we look to the autumn and winter, it is heartening to see that despite 57% of people thinking dog poo is an issue and 35% believing litter is an issue at Portobello Beach, 66% of those surveyed in the area have said they are willing to pick up litter when visiting the beach to leave it cleaner than they found it.
The successful campaign raised awareness of the potential impact on bathing water quality by dog fouling and encouraging gulls by feeding and leaving litter.
The third year of the My Beach Your Beach campaign was a little bit different – extending it to two more great beaches, Irvine and Troon – and also taking community engagement online in the face of lockdown measures, to encourage those who live locally to get involved and celebrate their beach.
Campaign messaging appeared on the bins along the promenade, encouraging people to dispose of waste responsibly.
This was supported by anthe interactive online programme aiming to celebrate and engage people with their local beach, through information about local environment, landscape and heritage, quizzes, photo galleries and a virtual ‘Doggy Ambassador’ competition, reaching nearly 10,000 people.
Although impact monitoring was not possible this year, 90% of locals surveyed had seen at least one campaign message and 83% said that they would like to see more campaign activity like this in the future. Last year, the campaign achieved a 53% reduction in litter as compared to the previous year and a 40% reduction in dog poo too.
Paul Wallace, Campaigns and Innovation Manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful,said: “We know that, in many cases, people only need a small nudge to do the right thing and take better care of their local environment.
“This summer, our local neighbourhoods became even more precious to many of us. For those #LuckyToLiveHere by the beach, the unprecedented pressures of more people taking holidays and day trips in Scotland, consuming more single-use items and take-away food and using limited services, such as toilets and bins, were felt.
“We’re grateful to both council staff and members of local community groups like Keep Porty Tidy, Friends of Porty Prom and Portobello Timebank for working to keep the beach clean for everyone to enjoy and are delighted to find that, following following this summer’s campaign, over 60% of people from communities locally have shown an interest in picking up litter at Portobello beach when they visit, to leave it cleaner than they found it.
“Cleaner sands can lead to cleaner seas – a win, win for our beach environments and communities.”
Cllr Lesley Macinnes, city council Environment Convener,said: “Our beaches and other open spaces have been so important for people to enjoy in recent months as we’ve all had to adapt to the coronavirus restrictions.
“It’s really important then that we look after them and keep them clean and tidy for everyone to enjoy. This campaign has been really helpful in supporting the hard work of our waste services department getting across that message and celebrating Portobello.”
The campaign, funded by the Scottish Government and supported by SEPA, was led by Keep Scotland Beautiful alongside its Upstream Battle and Clean Up Scotland campaigns and annual Beach Awards.
All six of the beaches selected for this campaign have faced challenges in improving the quality of their bathing water as measured by SEPA, and research confirms a significant link between behaviour on the land and the cleanliness of the local seawater.
