Swimming water at Ganavan is rated excellent.
The bathing water near Oban is one of 84 per cent of Scottish swim spots achieving high standards according to The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) working with regulated operators and stakeholders across the country to bring about improvements.
Sampling and analysis carried out by Scotland’s environment regulator over the summer means that for the 2024 bathing season, 38 of the country’s swim waters will be classed as excellent, 37 as good, 12 as sufficient and only two as poor.
Ruth Stidson who is SEPA’s Principal Scientist for bathing waters, said: “Scotland started this bathing water season with more bathing waters than ever and a record-breaking number rated excellent. I’m delighted to say we’ll start next year just as strongly.
“Our bathing waters have the best water quality since 2015, when tighter standards first came into force. We now have an additional five designated bathing waters where we monitor water quality to protect human health. Over this time those with the highest excellent classification has increased from 17 to 38, and the number with a poor classification has fallen from 17 to two.
“Being outdoors can provide many physical and mental health benefits. Our beaches offer opportunities for physical activities and social interaction.
“SEPA’s monitoring data has provided crucial evidence to drive millions in investment and we’ve worked with businesses, farmers and land managers across the country to help them understand how they can make changes to protect water quality. All these successes show that, while it can take time to see big improvements, they are possible – and SEPA will keep monitoring, reporting, enforcing, encouraging and challenging for the future of our water environment.”
Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan said there was no room for complacency and the work would continue to monitor and improve water quality.
Pressures on bathing waters can include overflows from the drainage network and misconnections from homes and businesses. Agricultural run-off and bacteria from dog fouling and gulls can also be factors.
Bathing Waters classifications are calculated at the end of the bathing water season and apply to each bathing water for the duration of the following season.
Heavy rain can also have an impact on water quality at bathing waters due to pollutants being washed into rivers from sewage treatment systems, roads and pavements.
Communities and visitors can do their bit to protect water environment by understanding the impact what they flush away can have on the environment – and their nearby bathing water.
Every year Scottish Water teams deal with around 36,000 blockages and around 80 per cent of those are caused by people flushing the wrong items down the toilet – particularly wet wipes – or pouring fats, oil and grease down the sink.
Caption: Taking a dip in Ganavan’s excellent quality bathing water, certified by SEPA
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