Date 22 May 1997

Ref 20/97

The 1996 Scottish Bathing Water Quality report was published today by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. It contains results of bathing water quality monitoring during the 1996 bathing season.

The report is published just weeks before the official start of the 1997 bathing season on 1 June.

Key points include:

• 21 of Scotland’s 23 identified bathing waters achieved passes during 1996. This was the highest number of passes since the current monitoring programme began in 1988.
• updates on all the 23 identified bathing waters including improvement measures planned for Girvan and Turnberry – the two bathing waters which failed in 1996.
• SEPA will be working with Scotland’s three Water Authorities to continue to improve bathing water quality throughout Scotland. The Water Authorities estimate that they will spend £1.6 billion up to 2005 upgrading sewage treatment facilities to comply with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations.
• For the first time the report contains information on the 158 other bathing sites which SEPA monitored during 1996. Bathing water quality at these other sites is generally good. These bathing sites could be candidates for future identified bathing waters.

Launching the report, Alasdair Paton, SEPA’s Chief Executive, said:

"SEPA recognises the importance of high quality bathing water as a resource for local people and as a key factor in many local economies. SEPA will continue to work in partnership with Scotland’s Water Authorities to ensure that all identified bathing waters, along with Scotland’s other principal bathing sites, have excellent water quality.

"We can all play a part in ensuring that Scotland’s beaches and bathing waters are of high quality. Simple steps such as taking litter home and disposing of sanitary items and plastic in bins, rather than down the WC, can make a significant difference. Working together we can make sure that Scotland has bathing waters and beaches of which we can all be proud."

Notes to Editors

The report contains individual reports on each of the 23 identified bathing waters.

Editors may wish to include information from the identified bathing waters in their local area. This information can be found on pages 8 to 15 of the report.

SEPA’s responsibility to monitor bathing water quality

SEPA assumed responsibility from Scotland’s seven former River Purification Boards for monitoring bathing water quality and reporting the results.

Relevant legislation

The Bathing Waters (Classification) (Scotland) Regulations 1991 implement the EC Directive concerning the quality of bathing water (76/160/EEC). The Directive defines the quality requirements for bathing water. The Directive also lays down the sampling frequency, the measuring methods and the requirements with which these measurements must comply.

How the public can obtain copies of the report

The 1996 Scottish Bathing Waters Report will be available on SEPA's recently re-designed Website.

Printed copies of the Report can be obtained from SEPA Public Affairs, Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, Stirling FK9 4TR or by calling 01786 457700.