Bathing Waters Quality Report 1997
Issued on 3 December 1997 - Ref 42/97
SEPA has published the Scottish Bathing Waters Report which is based on the results for 1997. This includes details of 23 identified bathing waters and 99 marine waters routinely monitored by SEPA. This report should be helpful in the review of identified bathing waters announced by The Scottish Office. The Government is to review the number and location of Scotland’s identified bathing waters. A public consultation paper - The Review of Bathing Waters in Scotland - has been published by The Scottish Office and views (to The Scottish Office) are requested by 11 February 1998.
‘SEPA welcomes the new Scottish Office initiative,’ said Colin Bayes, SEPA’s Head of Policy (Water), ‘and will await the responses to the consultation paper with interest. SEPA is totally committed to improving bathing water quality whether in identified beaches or otherwise and believes publication of its report will help in achieving that objective.’
The report contains the 1997 results from SEPA’s routine monitoring of water quality. Four separate sets of results are included:
SEPA regards the quality of other waters where bathing and recreational water sports take place to be of equal importance to that at the 23 currently identified bathing waters as specified by the European Bathing Water Directive.
As required by the Directive, the water quality results for the identified bathing waters have been reported to the Commission of the European Communities who will publish the results as part of their annual report on the overall quality of bathing waters in the community. SEPA’s report is intended to provide the public with detailed information on the quality of the bathing waters which SEPA monitors on a routine basis.
The water quality results (which were announced in October) from Scotland’s 23 identified bathing waters were not as good as expected. However, the three year trend for the period 1995 to 1997 is an improvement over previous three year periods. SEPA and West of Scotland Water Authority (WOSWA) have agreed to jointly fund a detailed study of the situation on the West coast to determine the cause of this season’s failures. SEPA’s view is that the disappointing results in 1997 should not hold back the review announced by the minister.
Printed copies of the Scottish Bathing Waters Report 1997 are available at a cost of £5 from SEPA Public Affairs. A copy of the report will be available on SEPA's Website shortly.
ENDS
SEPA Press Office contacts
Press Officer: Maggie Hamilton. Tel: 01786 457724 Mobile 0370 686073
Head of Public Affairs: Monica Straughan. Tel: 01786 457723 Mobile 0421 942498
SEPA Head Office, Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, STIRLING FK9 4TR
Tel: 01786 457700 Fax: 01786 448040
Contact SEPA Public Affairs at publicrelations@sepa.org.uk
© SEPA 1997