SLC Turnberry Ltd, the operator of the Turnberry Hotel has been fined £5,000 at Ayr Sheriff Court following a series of events during summer 1999 which culminated in a discharge of sewage effluent, over 2000 times the permitted level into the Firth of Clyde at Turnberry bathing beach - a designated EC bathing water.

Sewage effluent from the hotel and golf complex is discharged through a septic tank, disinfection unit and long sea outfall to the Firth of Clyde. This discharge requires a consent from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 (CoPA).

During 1998, the performance of the hotel's sewage treatment plant was poor. SEPA environment protection officers identified the cause of this poor performance and the owner agreed to improvements.

"Although the company did provide new housing for the new equipment," explained Environmental Protection Officer, Stephen Field, "the equipment itself was not provided and instead the old equipment was used throughout 1999. This resulted in inadequate disinfection of the effluent, with a number of poor quality samples being taken throughout the summer of 1999 culminating in 3rd September with a sample measuring over 2000 times higher than the level of faecal coliforms permitted by the Consent.

"SEPA always tries to work with business and industry to prevent pollution before it happens, but we don't hesitate to use our enforcement powers when we need to," added Stephen Field. "This type of case illustrates the point - we do investigate pollution incidents, we do catch the culprits and it does cost them dear

"Our message is clear - causing polluting is an offence, and polluters must pay the price. It is in everyone's interests for businesses of all kinds to work with SEPA to stop pollution happening in the first place. That saves them money and, more importantly, saves the environment."

Editors Note

• Since the date of the offence, SLC Turnberry Ltd has made considerable improvements to its sewage treatment plant at Turnberry Hotel. SEPA continues to receive a good level of co-operation from the firm.
• Since 1998, the bathing beach at Turnberry has only passed Euorpean Mandatory levels on one occasion (1997). SEPA began monitoring the beach in early June this year. To date samples have passed to at least Mandatory standard on four occasions.
• Bathing water results are available "live" on SEPA's website www.sepa.org.uk