Cold comfort for surfers as it's revealed winter sewage given less treatment

Published on Monday 28 September 2009 22:45

SEWAGE is treated to a lower standard during the winter than the summer at ten sites across Scotland, The Scotsman has learned.

While an ultraviolet disinfection process, which kills certain bacteria, is used at each of the plants during the summer, it is switched off during winter.

The Scotsman has seen a letter from Scottish Water that reveals those locations where sewage treatment varies depending on the time of year. They include plants at St Andrews in Fife, Dunnet in Caithness and Nairn in Moray.

As reported earlier this month, UV treatment is also switched off during the winter at Cove, near Pease Bay – a popular surfing spot in East Lothian.

The campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) believes lower sewage treatment standards during winter could pose a health risk.

SAS campaign manager Andy Cummins said: "So many people, such as students, use the water at St Andrews even in the winter. We do think this needs to be looked at."

A spokesman for Scottish Water said: "Scottish Water carries out waste water treatment to a very high level in accordance with required environmental standards."

A spokeswoman for Sepa said it followed the Bathing Water Directive, which defines the bathing season as the period during which a large number of bathers can be expected.

She said the existing licence for Cove treatment works would not be amended unless direction was given by Scottish ministers.