Sewage may have been dumped in Scots waterways every 90 seconds in 2024 – study

Sewage may have been discharged into Scotland’s rivers, lochs and seas every 90 seconds last year, according to a report by campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).

The report found that while Scottish Water recorded 23,498 sewage discharges lasting a total of 208,377 hours in 2024, this only accounts for 6.7% of the company’s total network.

SAS said while the “missing data” means the true figure is not known, it could have been as high as 364,629 discharges – or an average of one discharge every 90 seconds.

The report also said the water company only included 1,116 of its 4,080 “combined sewage overflows” (CSOs) – places where sewage is released directly into waterways or the sea – on its real-time sewage discharge map.

People are getting sick and yet Scottish Water are standing idly by, happy to sweep the scale of the sewage scandal in its waters under the carpet

This means, the report said, Scottish Water is not reporting 73% of its discharges in real time, which it said left people unsure whether it was safe to enter the water.

Giles Bristow, chief executive of SAS, described the figures as “appalling”, but added they are “likely just the tip of the fatberg, due to Scottish Water’s reckless approach to monitoring and public safety”.

He continued: “Scotland’s coastline, lochs and rivers are some of the most stunning on the planet, with surfers, swimmers and paddleboarders wanting to make the most of these beautiful blue spaces.

“But these waters are far from pristine.

“With no legal requirement to issue sewage alerts in Scotland, water users have no idea whether or not it’s safe to enter the water.

“People are getting sick and yet Scottish Water are standing idly by, happy to sweep the scale of the sewage scandal in its waters under the carpet.”

Mr Bristow said SAS provides sewage alerts via its Safer Seas and Rivers Service in England and Wales, but that Scottish Water’s “inaction” means the Scottish map will remain “blank” this year.

He added: “Scottish Water: You’re polluting your incredible wild waters and leaving the public in the dark, and at risk.

“It’s time to step up and provide real-time sewage alerts and dramatically improve your woefully inadequate monitoring.”

SAS said, last year, it received 1,853 sickness reports in the UK as a whole, which it pointed out was the equivalent of nine years’ worth of sick days linked to sewage pollution.

It added that the true scale of sickness from poor water quality is likely to be “far higher”.

Shelley Sim from East Lothian fell ill last year after going for a swim with the Salty Sea Sisters swimming group to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

After waking up the next day with stomach pains and fatigue, she went to see her GP, who told her to hospital urgently.

She remained in hospital for five days due to severe gastroenteritis and dehydration.

Further tests over the following weeks led to a final diagnosis of cryptosporidium, a diarrhoeal disease contracted by swimming in contaminated water.

Ms Sim, who swam every day before her illness, said she is now more “cautious” about going in the water.

“The sea is where I go for my mental health, to get away from stress of being a carer,” she said.

“The first thing I do now is check outfalls. That’s good, but it comes from a place of fear. I shouldn’t be doing this. I should be checking the tide, not when was it heavy rain and if there were any spills.

“It impacted my son’s mental health. He has OCD, ADHD and autism and I’m his carer. My illness caused a lot of anxieties and stress.”

Professor Simon Parsons, director of environment, planning and assurance for Scottish Water, said: “The quality of Scotland’s water environment remains high, with 87% of water bodies classed as good or better.

“We continue to invest in infrastructure: £500 million in addition to the £2 billion spent in the last decade, which helps improve it further to meet national targets.

“Our waste water treatment systems handle more than one billion litres of waste water every day and are a vital part of the water cycle in Scotland.

“The route map we published in 2021 set out a crystal-clear commitment to invest further, monitor performance at more locations and strive to prevent pollution incidents before these happen. We are on track to deliver on those commitments.”