A CALL has been made to step up monitoring of water quality amid concerns of the risks to wildlife and swimmers from untreated sewage “gushing” into rivers, loch and seas.
A resolution at the SNP’s annual conference, taking place in Aberdeen, urging the Scottish Government to increase the availability of data to the environmental watchdog SEPA has been backed by delegates.
Dawn Black, of the SNP Stonehaven and Mearns Branch, told the gathering that during 2022 at least 14,000 sewage spills directly into rivers, lochs and seas had been reported.
She said the number of sewage spills had also increased by 40% in recent years, but only 3% of Scotland’s storm overflows are monitored and there were also high levels of sewage related litter on beached.
“Systems designed for another era are groaning with the strain of urban growing population - sewers are being blocked by wet wipes, cooking fat and other debris,” she said.
“Additionally, when there are heavy rains in many places untreated sewage gushes out into rivers along with the wipes and the other debris being carried downstream to affect wildlife such as otters and beavers, and birds like osprey, heron and our sea bird life which live off the fish in these waters.”
“There are frequently tide lines of wipes and sanitary products beyond overflows simply because there was a huge amount of rain.
“It is shocking that the discharge of untreated sewage during heavy rains is a normal practice within the current system.”
Black said wild swimmers were also being affected, for example with samples taken from Eyemouth last July showing levels of sewage related bacteria deemed by the EU to be of high risk to bathers.
She said it was important to note that 66% of Scotland’s water bodies are deemed to be in “good ecological condition” and the Scottish Government had committed to increasing this to 81% by 2027.
But she said it was important not to “rest on our laurels” and commit to raising standards further.
“With this resolution we are simply asking conference to commit the SNP and the Scottish Government to investing further in the monitoring and modelling by Scottish Water by making more data available to SEPA and ask for even more sewage overflow monitors and increased capacity in SEPA to react to spillages.
“We need our waters to be clean for the sake of the environment, for the sake of our wildlife and for the sake of an independent Scotland where clean waters will be essential for our health and wellbeing economy.”
The resolution was passed by acclaim.
