Bathing waters
Scotland’s bathing waters have entered a new era. Summer 2016 was the first year when designated bathing waters had their water classifications on display at beach access areas by statutory EU signs and symbols. This is set by the bathing water directive (2006/7/EC) which is now fully implemented in Scotland.
The Environmental Health team, together with colleagues of Landscape & Countryside, and partners at Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Scottish Government, work together to improve bathing water quality, beach management and provision of public information.
We are responsible for keeping amenity beaches, i.e. those areas of beach adjoining an identified bathing water, free from litter under the Environmental Protection Act. As a responsible authority named in the regulations, is required to display signage at bathing waters giving water quality classification, a general description of the bathing water and information indicating if the bathing water is likely to be subject to short term pollution.
We also must post temporary signage in the case of a pollution event at any site outwith the network of SEPA’s electronic signs.
More information on bathing waters can be found via the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) website.