Scottish beaches fail clean water test

SEVEN Scottish beaches have failed to meet minimum European clean water standards.

The beaches were among 25 UK resorts given the thumbs down due to the quality of bathing water.

The results have prompted the UK government to vow to improve efforts to clean up the coastline.

The Scottish beaches on the dirty list are Ettrick Bay in Argyll and Bute; Saltcoats/Ardrossan in North Ayrshire, Sandyhills in Dumfries and Galloway, Portobello Central in Edinburgh, and Aberdeen, Rosehearty and Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire.

Scotland came second only to south-west England for having the most beaches failing the cleanliness tests.

Too much rain was blamed for washing pollution into bathing and swimming areas.

A government spokesman said: "We're working to improve sewerage systems and are aware of the effect heavy rain and flooding can have on our coastal bathing waters."

He added that proposals in the draft Flood and Water Management Bill to make sewer connections subject to meeting new national standards would reduce the amount of water reaching sewerage treatment works.

This would reduce the risk of flooding from overflows, and of pollution to beaches.

He added: "Heavy rainfall or stormy weather can temporarily affect bathing water quality as the flow of water washes pollution into rivers and coastal waters through the sewage network, and increases run-off from farmland and urban streets.

"Farmland pollution can also temporarily affect bathing water quality, when heavy rainfall washes pollution into rivers and coastal waters through the sewage network."

The latest report is based on 2008 water cleanliness tests carried out at more than 21,000 bathing spots around the 27 EU countries.

The large majority – 96 per cent of coastal bathing areas and 92 per cent of bathing sites in rivers and lakes or lochs – were found to meet EU hygiene requirements.

Savros Dimas, the EU Commissioner for the environment, said: "High quality bathing water is essential for the well-being of European citizens and the environment. I am pleased to see that the overall quality of water in bathing areas is improving throughout the Union."