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Bathing water season starts 1st June, therefore results will be posted after this date.
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Samples are taken at each bathing water throughout the bathing season (1 June to 15 -September). A pre-season sample is taken during the last fortnight in May. In assessing the level of pass for each identified bathing water, it is necessary to look at the results over the entire season. A detailed explanation on how to interpret the results is available. The actual level of pass which each identified bathing water achieved will be provided at the end of the season, and will also be reported in SEPA's next annual Bathing Water Report. Previous years reports can be found here.
Changes to Sampling Frequency
The standard frequency of sampling is also set out in the Annex to the Directive. Checks must be made at least once a fortnight during the bathing season for total and faecal coliforms, transparency, colour, mineral oil, surface-active substances reacting with methylene blue and phenols. For the remaining parameters with mandatory standards (salmonella, enteroviruses and pH), and for other parameters where inspection is prescribed, concentrations should be checked whenever inspections show that the substance may be present or where the quality of the bathing water has deteriorated. The Directive also makes provision for more frequent sampling in the event of water quality deterioration, or less frequent (4-weekly) sampling following demonstration of sustained good bathing water quality.
Under the Bathing Waters (Classification) (Scotland) Regulations 1991, the bathing water season in Scotland is specified as the period from 1 June to 15 September inclusive. Between 1998 and 2003, at least 20 samples have been taken at each identified water, in addition to one pre-season sample. This means that for each parameter and each season, there is normally available a series of at least 20 samples showing the counts of total and faecal coliforms and transparency, together with the results of an equivalent number of inspections for colour, oil, detergent foam and phenols.
Following sustained improvements made in bathing waters quality, the EC has now offered to allow the reduced sampling provision available within the legislation, to be applied to numerous Scottish waters. Following consultation with stakeholders, SEPA has chosen to implement this offer where practical.
The reduced monitoring frequency was introduced in 2004. The sites selected were sampled 5 times during the bathing season, at intervals of not more than 4 weeks. Following on from the success of this approach and further improvements in bathing water quality, in 2007 reduced sampling will apply at 13 identified bathing waters and 2 other sites. Beaches receiving European Blue Flag awards which are eligible for reduced sampling will be sampled at a minimum of 10 times to meet award criteria.
To ensure continued compliance at waters subject to the reduced sampling strategy, rules have been devised to document procedures as to how SEPA reacts, or (if necessary) make in-season changes to the monitoring plan in the event of any suspected deterioration in water quality. In the exceptional event of a gross single exceedance or of multiple exceedances of guideline standard, SEPA’s sampling frequency will be increased back to 20 samples, all to be collected in season, as part of the detailed investigation of the deterioration. In addition, any exceedance of the guideline standard would result in the sampling rate being increased to the 20 samples per season rate following year.
Since 2006 non-identified bathing waters that do not qualify for reduced sampling will be sampled 10 times a year. This reduction in water quality sampling will allow more resource to be put into the investigative work required to eliminate or minimise the diffuse sources of pollution which still have an intermittent adverse affect on several official designated bathing waters.
Click here for more information on the interpretation of bathing water results.
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