Bathing Waters
Summary
Board Report Number: SEPA 23/23
To inform the Board of the recent work SEPA has been carrying out within the field of bathing water quality. Update on progress and for preparations for the 2023 bathing water season.
Medium – environmental quality, human health and reputational aspects.
Current work is largely conducted via existing grant-in-aid (GIA) funding and a small proportion of our work is funded via charging schemes.
Poor water quality can have a direct impact on the health and wellbeing of bathers. The status and classification of bathing waters impacts on perception, tourism and economic outlooks of communities, this can potentially have equality benefits to the wider community. The bathing waters close to our large urban centres are likely to be the most accessible to large numbers of low income groups.
Our work leads directly to environmental improvements in water and air quality and protects human health. The treatment and disinfection of wastes, sewage and the application of agricultural materials to meet bathing waters standards will be subject to changing practices and may lead to increased carbon emissions.
To provide the Board with an update on progress on improvements to bathing water quality and preparations for the 2023 season.
Public, Scottish Government and Board only.
- Ruth Stidson, Principal Specialist Scientist.
- Nathan Critchlow-Watton, Head of Water and Land.
- Stephen Field, Water Industry and Rural Economy Unit Manager.
- David Pirie, Executive Director.
- Appendix 1: Bathing Water Classifications.
- Appendix 2: Case Studies.
- Appendix 3: Key Rural Messages.
Introduction
To provide the Board with an update on progress on improvements to bathing water quality and preparations for the 2023 season.
Background - Our role, our why and what others do
Scotland’s natural environment is world-renowned. Our bathing waters range from remote golden sands and inland lochs to high usage urban sites. Visit Scotland report (See link on web page to “Coastal Tourism in Scotland” report) that coastal and seaside destinations are a vital part of Scotland’s tourism proposition and outdoor leisure activities attract on average 5.8 million visitors to the Scottish seaside every year. Active pursuits including swimming, sailing and water sports as well as adventure sports are the most popular activities for our coastal visitors with 49% taking part. The Office for National Statistics calculated the recreational asset value of coastal regions, lochs and reservoirs and rivers and canals to Scotland's economy at £13.7 billion.
There is a growing public appetite for enjoying our waters both for leisure and outdoor sport such as surfing. In particular there is a high uptake of wild swimming for leisure and wellbeing benefits. The public have an increased expectation of being able to safely enjoy the environment and our waters. This desire has been recognised in both national and Scottish campaigns by the press such as those run by The Times and the Daily Record.
Bathing waters designation is designed to protect human health at locations where a significant number of people bathe during the season from 1 June to 15 September. It is the responsibility of Scottish Ministers to decide which locations are designated as bathing waters, and the length of the bathing season.
At Scotland’s 87 designated bathing waters SEPA monitors the water quality for faecal indicator organisms during the bathing season. We publish these sampling results during the bathing season on our website and at the end of the season calculate and publish the overall classification. The classification, ranging through excellent, good, sufficient to poor, describes the water quality condition for each location based on four years of monitoring data. SEPA is responsible for licensing discharges which can potentially impact on bathing waters, and we ensure compliance with licence conditions, as well as driving investment at Waste Water Treatment works, and with other operators who affect the environment (such as land managers).
At selected bathing beaches we make daily water quality forecasts and display these on our website and our network of electronic signs. This allows us to advise members of the public on when the water quality it is expected to be suitable for bathing.
Local authorities are responsible for keeping amenity beaches - those areas of beach adjoining a designated bathing water - free from litter. At designated bathing waters they have beach management duties around signage and information provision as outlined in the Regulations.
Discussion – A success story and future challenges
Since regulation and monitoring of bathing waters began in 1988 substantial water quality improvements have been achieved, the number of designated bathing waters has tripled, and we have an improved understanding of the environment and measures for tackling pollution pressures on water quality.
All bathing waters originally designated in 1988 were brought up to the then mandatory or guideline European water quality standard by 2014, a vast improvement from the first year of monitoring when 13 of the 28 designated sites failed.
In 2015 the new Bathing Waters (Scotland) Regulations 2008 were fully implemented. These introduced a new classification system with more stringent water quality standards and put an emphasis on providing information to the public. Increased understanding of health risks from epidemiological studies was a key driver for the stricter standards.
Our objective is for all of Scotland’s bathing waters to achieve a classification of at least sufficient. We adopted two key strategies to deliver this:
- Reduce the levels of pollutants entering the bathing water.
- Provide public information and advice on occasions when bathing is not advised.
In 2015, 17 bathing waters failed to meet these new minimum standards.
In 2016 we developed and adopted a new tool to aid our efforts in the form of microbial DNA source tracking analysis (MST). We can currently determine if human, ruminant, dog or gull derived faecal indicator organisms are present and at what level. Knowing the source of pollution is a powerful first step in allowing us to take any necessary regulatory action to reduce pollution.
Improvements in bathing water quality are proactively managed by improvement plans. These are detailed, site specific plans which focus initially on our evidence collection and interpretation then on our on the ground regulatory (licencing, advise and enforcement) actions and our partnership working with Scottish Government, Scottish Water, National Farmer Union of Scotland, farming community, local authorities, Keep Scotland Beautiful and local communities. Examples of this work at Ayr (South Beach) and Rockcliffe are described in Appendix 1.
The following bathing beaches, Barassie, Gairloch, Lower Largo and Sand Beach, have been designated since 2016.
In 2022, Scotland’s bathing water continued to improve with 38 out of 87 (44%) rated as excellent for the forth coming bathing season in 2023, and 85 of the 87 designated bathing waters meeting or exceeding the standard of sufficient for the forthcoming season.
There is more to do. Two bathing waters – Lower Largo and Kinghorn (Harbour Beach) failed the minimum sufficient standard in 2022. Improvement plans are in place for both beaches. Active partnership working is being undertaken with Scottish Water to improve performance at Lower Largo. This requires capital investment and may take a number of years to reach sufficient. Kinghorn (Harbour Beach) has dropped to poor after several years of meeting the sufficient standard. Investigations are underway to further understand this deterioration and identify the appropriate improvements. This demonstrates that there are risks of deterioration at sites meeting minimal requirements. This, coupled with the wider public appetite for enjoying our waters, illustrates there is still a significant amount of work to be done to improve our bathing water quality.
Preparations for the 2023 season
Work is underway for the bathing water season 2023 with bathing water improvement plans in place for all bathing waters not meeting or at risk of not meeting the minimum sufficient standard.
Our monitoring programme for the season has been developed and is in place. It includes additional locations to improve our understanding of remaining pollution sources and pollution risks. Refresher training for staff who undertake bathing waters seasonal work, including our national monitoring team and flood duty officers who oversee the daily water quality prediction systems is underway. Microbiology Laboratory preparation and staff training is underway for the bacterial and Microbial Source Tracking (MST) analysis.
We have commissioned and gone live with six new totem design electronic signs in south west Scotland, replacing those at end of life. These will be displaying live bathing water quality predictions for 2023.
To compliment this we will as per normal be sending classification information and statutory summary information to local authorities for display at bathing water locations.
SEPA’s National Rural Unit (NRU) will continue to engage with farmers in bathing water catchments across Scotland. Visits will be undertaken to identified at risk livestock farms in at risk bathing water catchments. NRU will undertake an awareness raising campaign across Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire and Nairn using partner organisations, consultants and representative bodies to get key messages out to rural land managers via texts, emails, social media and newsletters. See Appendix 3 for key messages to farmers and contractors.
Scottish Water have provided an inspection plan for their assets within bathing water catchments and local Environmental Performance teams have been given the opportunity to plan joint visits to these assets prior to the bathing season. Local EP teams have also planned visits to other private sites, watercourses and surface water outfalls prior to and throughout the bathing season.
Recommendations
The Board is asked to recognise and note the excellent progress that has been made in improving bathing water quality, and the contribution SEPA has made to the process both as a lead and a support organisation.
The Board is asked to recognise the work of partners and regulated operators such as Scottish Government, Scottish Water, National Farmer Union of Scotland, farming community, local authorities, Keep Scotland Beautiful and local communities in maintaining and improving bathing waters.
The Board is asked to note preparations that are in place for the 2023 bathing water season.
Ruth Stidson, Principal Specialist Scientist, Nathan Critchlow-Watton, Head of Water and Land, Stephen Field, Water Industry and Rural Economy Unit Manager and David Pirie, Executive Director
18 April 2023
Appendix 1: Classification details
| Bathing water name | Classification for 2023 |
|---|---|
| Aberdeen | Excellent |
| Aberdour (Silversands) | Excellent |
| Achmelvich | Excellent |
| Anstruther (Billow Ness) | Excellent |
| Balmedie | Excellent |
| Broughty Ferry | Excellent |
| Coldingham | Excellent |
| Crail (Roome Bay) | Excellent |
| Cullen Bay | Excellent |
| Dornoch | Excellent |
| Dunnet | Excellent |
| Elie (Harbour) and Earlsferry | Excellent |
| Elie (Ruby Bay) | Excellent |
| Findhorn | Excellent |
| Fraserburgh (Philorth) | Excellent |
| Fraserburgh (Tiger Hill) | Excellent |
| Gairloch Beach | Excellent |
| Ganavan Excellent | Excellent |
| Gullane | Excellent |
| Inverboyndie | Excellent |
| Kinghorn (Pettycur) | Excellent |
| Kingsbarns | Excellent |
| Kirkcaldy (Seafield) | Excellent |
| Loch Morlich | Excellent |
| Lunan Bay | Excellent |
| Montrose | Excellent |
| Mossyard | Excellent |
| North Berwick (West) | Excellent |
| Pease Bay | Excellent |
| Peterhead (Lido) | Excellent |
| Prestwick | Excellent |
| Rosehearty | Excellent |
| Sand Beach | Excellent |
| Seacliff | Excellent |
| St Andrews (East Sands) | Excellent |
| St Andrews (West Sands) | Excellent |
| Thorntonloch | Excellent |
| Whitesands | Excellent |
| Aberdour Harbour (Black Sands) | Good |
| Arbroath (West Links) | Good |
| Ayr (South Beach) | Good |
| Brighouse Bay | Good |
| Broad Sands | Good |
| Burntisland | Good |
| Carnoustie | Good |
| Carrick | Good |
| Collieston | Good |
| Cruden Bay | Good |
| Culzean | Good |
| Dunbar (Belhaven) | Good |
| Dunbar (East) | Good |
| Ettrick Bay | Good |
| Heads of Ayr | Good |
| Largs (Pencil Beach) | Good |
| Longniddry | Good |
| Lossiemouth (East) | Good |
| Lunderston Bay | Good |
| Machrihanish | Good |
| Millport Bay | Good |
| Monifieth | Good |
| Nairn (Central) | Good |
| Nairn (East) | Good |
| Portobello (Central) | Good |
| Rockcliffe | Good |
| Rosemarkie | Good |
| Saltcoats/Ardrossan | Good |
| Sandyhills | Good |
| Seamill | Good |
| Seton Sands | Good |
| Southerness | Good |
| Stonehaven | Good |
| Thurso | Good |
| Troon (South Beach) | Good |
| Barassie Bay | Sufficient |
| Dhoon Bay | Sufficient |
| Dores | Sufficient |
| Eyemouth | Sufficient |
| Girvan | Sufficient |
| Irvine | Sufficient |
| Leven | Sufficient |
| Luss Bay | Sufficient |
| Maidens | Sufficient |
| North Berwick (Milsey Bay) | Sufficient |
| Portobello (West) | Sufficient |
| Yellow Craig | Sufficient |
| Kinghorn (Harbour Beach) | Poor |
| Lower Largo | Poor |
Appendix 2: Case studies
Ayr (South Beach)
Ayr (South) Beach had repeated poor classifications 2016 to 2019 and was at risk of five consecutive poor classifications. This would have meant de-designation as a bathing water.
SEPA staff developed a strong working relationship with NFUS and rural land managers in the Rivers Ayr and Doon catchments, which drain to Ayr South bathing water, to reduce diffuse pollution. This has been achieved through face-to-face visits, workshops and information sessions. Since 2011 this has led to a 60% reduction in the number of non-compliant sites in these catchments, and around 98% of farms in the area are now fully compliant in ensuring their practices are not negatively affecting watercourses. Many farmers have undertaken new practices and spent significant sums of money on additional slurry storage facilities, fencing off entire stretches of watercourses to exclude livestock, 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.
Following Scottish Water studies, Scottish Water and SEPA agreed investment priorities to address the most significant contributors of bacterial discharge loads to poor water quality at Ayr South from Scottish Water assets. In 2020 and 2021 Scottish Water completed substantive new capital improvement works (~ £12 million) which were built and brought into operation prior to the 2021 bathing season. In May 2021 storage tanks were constructed at Belleisle CSO, Mauchline WWTW CSO and Drongan WWTW CSO to significantly reduce spill frequency. Scottish Water installed temporary chemical dosing at STW Minishant which will continue until the permanent solution, a new secondary treatment plant scheduled for September 2025, is delivered.
During April and May 2021 and 2022 Scottish Water offered and undertook emptying of a number of septic tanks for residents with private systems within the sewered area discharging to the River Doon catchment within a 2km distance from the bathing water.
In January 2022 Scottish Water set up a project in response to SEPA survey work which revealed continued contamination of surface water systems in Ayr with sewage. As of September 2022 this work has resulted in the dye testing of a large number of properties, identified and cleared 18 choked sewers, identified 17 cross connected properties most of which have now been corrected and has identified numerous other defects such as collapses, at least five, and holes in sewers requiring patch liners to be installed. Some other defects such as ‘dips’ in the sewer have been found and are being promoted for repair.
Our MST analysis showed that gulls can also occasionally impact bathing water quality. The Scottish Government funded 'My Beach, Your Beach' ran at Ayr from 2018 to 2022, supporting bathing water quality improvements by addressing some of the community sources of bathing water contamination - from what people do on or near the beach, to certain habits in businesses and at home.
Ayr (South) achieved a good classification in 2021 and 2022. The improvements were highlighted and celebrated by a visit by Mairi McAllan, then Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform, in December 2021 and by SEPA board members visiting in June 2022.
Rockcliffe
From 2015 to 2019 Rockcliffe had a poor classification in all but one year.
SEPA worked with the NFUS and farming community to reduce bacterial pollution from agricultural sources and Scottish Water undertook upgrading work at Rockcliffe WwTW with inclusion of UV treatment and the removal and reduction of sewage discharges at Dalbeattie. However, the sewage discharge from the Scottish Water septic tank at Kippford remained the most significant source of pollution.
To achieve bathing water compliance, upgrading this asset to secondary treatment is required; a significant project with a current delivery date of 2025. If no actions were taken a fifth consecutive poor classification was expected which would have meant de-designation as a bathing water and permanent advice against bathing. As a temporary measure for the 2021 bathing season, SEPA agreed with Scottish Water that chemical disinfection would be undertaken to reduce bacterial loading. This was successful and in 2021 Rockcliffe achieved an excellent classification and in 2022 a good classification. The temporary disinfection will continue until the permanent treatment works is completed.
Appendix 3: Key rural messages
Key message aimed at farmers
We are encouraging farmers across Ayrshire, Nairn, and Dumfries & Galloway bathing water catchments (Ayr South, Heads of Ayr, Girvan, Irvine, Saltcoats, Nairn, Southerness, Sandyhills, Rockcliffe, Dhoon Bay, Brighouse Bay, Carrick and Mossyard) to follow these simple practical steps throughout the forthcoming bathing water season (1 June to 15 September) to reduce their potential impact on water quality. The faecal bacteria found in cattle slurry has the potential to impact water quality so to help protect our regions bathing waters we are asking farmers to adhere to the following good practice.
Slurry spreading
- Please ensure no slurry is spread within 10 m of any river, burn or open ditch
- Before applying slurry, please check the weather forecast for predicted heavy rain within 48 hours of proposed spreading. If heavy rain is forecast, please delay slurry spreading by a day or two to reduce the potential for field run off and water pollution.
Maintaining water course boundaries
- Check livestock fences and boundaries along ditches, burns and rivers in grazing fields to ensure they are fully maintained.
- Repair any openings stock could access. This minimises the potential of livestock poaching within 5 m of the ditch, burn or river and reduces the risk of polluting run-off getting to the water.
Steading drainage
- Check contaminated drainage (slurry) can’t access surface water drains around the steading.
- Key areas to check are drainage/seepage from bedded sheds, cattle walkways, handling areas or yards used periodically during the summer months.
- Ensure clean roof and yard water are kept separate from dirty yards.
Key message aimed at contractors
We are encouraging contractors across Scotland working in bathing water catchments to follow these simple practical steps throughout the forthcoming bathing water season (1 June to 15 September) to reduce their potential impact on water quality. The faecal bacteria found in cattle slurry has the potential to impact water quality so to help protect our regions bathing waters we are asking farmers and contractors to adhere to the following good practice.
Slurry spreading
- Please ensure no slurry is spread within 10 m of any river, burn or open ditch.
- Consider increasing the 10 m buffer from watercourses if slurry is being applied to steeply sloping land.
- Before applying slurry, please check the weather forecast for predicted heavy rain within 48 hours of proposed spreading. If heavy rain is forecast, please delay slurry spreading by a day or two to reduce the potential for field run off and water pollution.