from Sunday Herald, 28 May 2006
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, up to 18 popular Scottish beaches, most of them on the southwest coast, look set to fail tough new sewage safety limits – prompting calls for the beaches to be cleaned up now.
It has been predicted that seven official bathing waters in Ayrshire, five in Dumfries and Galloway and six around the rest of the country will breach bacterial pollution standards being introduced by the European Union in 2008 to protect public health.
The forecasts have been made by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), which describes the new limits as “challenging”. The agency’s predictions have been greeted with dismay by environmentalists, and with assurances from the Scottish Executive.
Until now the safety of Scotland’s 60 designated bathing waters has been determined by a legal directive dating from 1976. But in March this year a new law came into force obliging member states to introduce a stricter regime, starting in 2008.
According to Sepa, the new limits are four times tougher than those under the current system. They control bacteria such as intestinal enterococci and E coli, which can give swimmers and surfers diarrhoea, ear infections or worse.
Among the bathing waters that Sepa says may breach the new limits are beaches at Ayr, Turnberry, Prestwick, Saltcoats and Ettrick Bay on the Isle of Bute. Ballroom Beach in Aberdeen, Portobello West in Edinburgh and Eyemouth in the Borders are also likely to fail to reach the safety standards.
The pollution at these beaches comes from sewage works pumping waste into the sea, or from rain washing animal faeces off the land. The problem persists despite public investments of more than £3.5 billion into new sewage works over recent years.
A list naming the beaches expected to fail was released in response to a freedom of information request by Friends of the Earth Scotland. “Lack of any real action some years ago means Scotland is still playing catch up,” said the environmental group’s head of research, Stuart Hay.
“If these levels of pollution will put bathers at risk in the future, then they are almost certainly putting bathers at risk right now. In the 21st century, those using Scotland’s coastline for work or for pleasure deserve better.”
Hay called on the Scottish Executive to come up with extra resources to prevent the predicted failures from occurring. He said: “Scotland needs to learn lessons from this situation and implement environmental laws properly and in good time.”
According to Sepa, if the new limits were applied now, 13 beaches in Scotland would be classed as “excellent”, 22 as “good”, seven as “sufficient” and 18 as “poor”. This compares with 24 excellent, 33 good and three poor under the existing standards in 2005.
Sepa’s environmental manager, Calum McPhail, emphasised that the prediction was a “worst-case scenario”. Under the new rules it was possible that only 11 bathing waters would end up failing, he said. Sepa welcomed the new European directive because it will better protect public health and encourage good beach management. “We are heading in the right direction, but we cannot be complacent,” McPhail said.
“We recognise that this new directive will be challenging and requires an increased focus and effort to further improve Scotland’s high-quality bathing-water environments.”
Sepa will begin monitoring the pollution on beaches this week with the start of the official bathing season on June 1. Daily water quality predictions will be displayed on signs at 10 beaches, and will also be available as text messages.
The Executive published a strategy for “meeting the challenges” of the revised bathing water directive in March. “The Executive is committed to raising the standards of bathing waters in Scotland,” said a spokeswoman, “and to making sure that as many of our bathing waters as possible meet the new standards.”
THE 18 BEACHES PREDICTED TO FAIL NEW SAFETY LIMITSBrighouse Bay, Dumfries and Galloway
Carrick Bay, Dumfries and Galloway
Rockcliffe, Dumfries and Galloway
Sandyhills, Dumfries and Galloway
Southerness, Dumfries and Galloway
Girvan, South Ayrshire
Prestwick, South Ayrshire
Turnberry, South Ayrshire
South Beach, Ayr
Irvine, North Ayrshire
Millport, Cumbrae, North Ayrshire
Saltcoats, North Ayrshire
Ettrick Bay, Isle of Bute
Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire
Stonehaven Carron, Aberdeenshire
Ballroom Beach, Aberdeen
Portobello West, Edinburgh
Eyemouth, The BordersSource: Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Download a copy of SEPA's predictions here (excel).
Earlier stories about polluted beaches here.
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