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Have your say on improving Scotland’s water environment

The environmental regulator has launched a public consultation, Safeguarding Scotland's Water Environment, about what it calls Significant Water Management Issues – issues that are having a significant adverse impact on the condition of the water environment and that it seeks to tackle.  

The water environment is one of Scotland’s most precious natural assets. It supports a rich diversity of wildlife, contributes to people’s health and wellbeing and provides for the sustainable growth of Scotland’s economy.  

Water experts at the agency have identified seven key focus areas for the next six-year water management cycle:  

• rural diffuse pollution (the release of potential pollutants from a range of activities such as agricultural run-off) 
• the physical condition of rivers 
• artificial barriers to fish migration (physical modifications to rivers built for water storage, navigation, water abstraction and crossings for road and rail transport) 
• sea lice from marine fish farms 
• water use (ensuring our water resources are resilient to a changing climate and managed within environmental limits)  
• wastewater and sewer networks 
• chemicals in the water environment 

The consultation outlines the targeted work already underway to address these complex issues and sets out a recalibrated approach to achieving further vital progress with partners over the next period, in line with the evolving context.  

Input from members of the public and communities is essential to ensure plans reflect local experiences, practical solutions and a wide range of perspectives across Scotland. Respondents can have their say on the Significant Water Management Issues and offer their thoughts on the role this work could play in supporting climate adaptation, nature recovery and health and wellbeing.  

Rachel Harding-Hill, Head of Environmental Resilience and Enhancement at SEPA, said:  

“Protecting and improving our water environment as a vital natural asset is fundamental to Scotland’s efforts to build resilience to climate change and to ensure that the needs of wildlife, people and the economy can be met and safeguarded into the future. This requires ongoing effective management of the issues that are having a negative impact in a catchment-wide approach. 

“Our current proposals are at a formative stage, and we want to gather valuable evidence of the range of experiences and opinions, knowledge and ideas on this pivotal issue to inform our decision-making. 

“We know people across Scotland share our respect and aspirations for our water environment and we look forward to engaging with them at this key stage of our planning.”  

The consultation will feed into Scotland’s River Basin Management Planning (RBMP) - Scotland’s six-yearly framework for protecting and improving the water environment - which will be further consulted on in December 2026. The current RBMP cycle ends in December 2027.  

The Safeguarding Scotland's Water Environment consultation is open now on SEPA’s consultation hub. Have your say at Safeguarding Scotland’s Water Environment - Scottish Environment Protection Agency - Citizen Space