The Gairloch community has taken to its beaches to demonstrate against Scottish Water’s plans to downgrade the current water treatment works to a system that will produce a dirtier discharge into the waters of Loch Gairloch.
Gairloch residents turned up for a beach barbecue and swim in the loch on Friday to show the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) how important the clean water beaches are to their community.
The community has been fighting Scottish Water’s planned downgrading of Gairloch’s waste water treatment since 2014 but last week SEPA gave Scottish Water the go ahead to make the changes.
The beach demonstration was organised to highlight the use of the loch all year round and to encourage the community to take action to overturn the decision.
Fran Cree of Gairloch Community Council said: “Gairloch has two beaches that are Designated Bathing Waters – the community worked hard to have these beaches ‘designated’ in order to protect them.
“The beaches and seawaters are a very valuable asset to the local community. People walk, run, walk their dogs, fish, swim, sail, kayak and snorkel on the beaches and in the sea all year round. Our waters are also a vital asset in attracting visitors all year round.
“A recent petition against the Scottish Water changes was signed by visitors from all over the world who appreciate Gairloch’s pristine beauty and find it hard to believe SEPA would allow this retrograde change to take place.”
Dr Karen Buchanan, Curator of Gairloch Heritage Museum, said: “SEPA has not undertaken an assessment of the impact on the local economy of a deterioration in water quality.
“Our community is understandably concerned about the impact on tourism in particular. We have few other industries here and many residents depend on income from tourism.
“This area deserves to have absolutely the best treatment possible to protect our natural assets. The further downgrading of treatment in the winter months is nonsensical.
“We strongly object to SEPA’s decision that the risk to water users outside the summer season is ‘acceptable’ due to the low level of activity.”
Scottish Water plans to replace the current water treatment system with three giant septic tanks, discharging infected effluent for seven months of the year, and applying UV sterilization for 5 months in the summer.
