High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Coastal Bathing Water Quality
High quality bathing waters are important for a wide variety of interests and support Scotland's tourism industry. Monitoring the quality of these waters provides an indication of the health risks of bathing from both direct and diffuse discharges of effluents containing faecal contaminants.
EC Bathing Water Directive (76/160/ EEC) 1 sets out two quality standards - the 'mandatory' standard, and the stricter 'guideline' standard. Member states should comply with the mandatory standard and aim to comply with the guideline standard. It should be noted that these standards are those as stated in the 1976 Bathing Waters Directive. However, as the 2006 Bathing Waters Directive (a revision of the current Directive) is implemented by the Bathing Waters (Scotland) Regulations 2008 bathing waters will have to comply with tighter microbiological parameters by 2015. Since 1999 the number of bathing waters has risen from 60 to 83 in 2011. Three of the 83 designated waters are inland waters.
In 2011, 95% of Scotland's bathing waters achieved "mandatory" bathing water quality or better, and 49%, (40 in total), met the more stringent "guideline" standard for water quality, this compares to 2010 results (95% mandatory, 53% guideline) and in 2009 (94% mandatory, 57% guideline). It is important to note that the weather has a bearing on compliance, with wet weather often contributing to poorer results and, conversely, drier, sunnier weather associated with better results. When samples are taken in abnormal weather conditions these may be excluded and a replacement sample taken immediately after the abnormal effects have ceased.
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Source: Scottish Environment Protection Agency
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