Sewage was dumped on award-winning beaches in Scotland more than 400 times last year, shocking data reveals.
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton highlighted the horrendous figures at First Minister’s Questions today as he said some of the country's most beloved beaches faced "swimming pools of poo".
We told last month how human waste was discharged into Scottish waterways on more than 14,000 occasions in 2022 - with a total volume the equivalent of 19,000 Olympic pools.
And new Liberal Democrat analysis of last year’s Scottish Water data has uncovered at least 411 times where sewage spewed onto prize-winning shores.
The worst incident was in the vicinity of Peterhead Lido beach, where sewage was discharged for a staggering 483 hours last year, totalling 337 separate sewage dumps onto the beach.
Peterhead Lido was one of 53 beaches feted for its excellence at last year’s Scottish Beach Awards.
There were also spills at award-winning coastlines in St Andrews, Nairn and Fraserburgh.
It comes as we told previously how just four per cent of sewer overflows in Scotland are required to be monitored, compared to around 90 per cent in England - meaning the true scale of the problem could be far worse.
Challenging First Minister Humza Yousaf on the issue at FMQs, Cole-Hamilton said: “Enough to fill 19,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools - that’s how much sewage we know was dumped into our rivers last year by Scotland’s government-owned water company.
“I say ‘know’, because only 1 in 20 discharge pipes are actually monitored.
“New Liberal Democrat research that we are publishing today reveals over 400 sewage dumps in the vicinity of some of Scotland’s best beaches last year.
“From Peterhead to St Andrews, these award-winning beaches should be protected and pristine. They draw tourists, families and wild swimmers.”
The Lib Dem chief added: “Like so many things on the First Minister’s desk right now, this absolutely stinks.
“So can I ask the First Minister: Will he now instruct the monitoring of all sewage discharges in Scotland? What will he do to help Scottish Water get a handle on this?
“Otherwise, how many swimming pools of poo is he content to see put on our best-loved beaches?”
Yousaf said he would intervene personally with Scottish Water to help address the issue.
The First Minister said: “Our beaches… are world class tourist destinations so I don't want to see a single sewage dump where it is absolutely unnecessary.”
Sewer overflows, which release untreated sewage into rivers and coastal waters, are only intended to operate during extreme weather events.
There are 3614 overflows along Scotland’s 31,000-mile sewer network - but just 144 are currently monitored. Scottish Water has pledged to add 1000 more monitors by the end of next year.
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