Edinburgh MP launches petition to scrap Scottish Water bonuses over sewage spills
Chris Murray previously said his constituents were “literally swimming in s***” while Scottish Water bosses collected their bonuses
An Edinburgh MP has launched a petition calling for Scottish Water executive bonuses to be scrapped amid mounting anger over sewage pollution.
Chris Murray, MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, has launched a petition to rip up executive bonuses after his previous pleas were not accepted by First Minister John Swinney.
He spoke to the Evening News earlier this summer about his frustration over bonuses totalling £250,000 being handed to Scottish Water bosses despite frequent pollution issues at water sites throughout his constituency.
Mr Murray has now said that the anger is being felt throughout the community, with locals joining him in beach clean-ups and a recent water testing event at Figgate Burn held in conjunction with Avaaz’s Great UK WaterBlitz campaign on Sunday, September 20.
He said: "People in Portobello and Musselburgh have every right to be angry. For years, our communities have been let down by sewage pollution, poor water quality and a lack of meaningful action.
“Fisherrow Sands has been rated poor for a third year in a row, and this summer, Portobello Beach was forced to close after E. coli levels reached ten times the safe limit. At community beach clean-ups we regularly find wet wipes, sanitary products and other sewage-related waste washed up on our shores.
"I have already written to John Swinney demanding an immediate halt to Scottish Water's executive bonuses. He did not accept my request. I don't believe that is good enough, and I don't believe local people should have to accept it either."
Jonathan Trout, 49, is a charity fundraiser who lives on King's Road in Portobello. Mr Trout says he is concerned that a lack of action will result in the water at Portobello “being treated as an open sewer”.
He said: “The beach at Portobello is a jewel of our city, and the pride of Porty itself. Whether walking my dog or dipping in the sea, I'm out there every day of the year.
“This connection to nature brings enormous joy to me and every other beach user - and so it's just staggering that so little care is taken to stop this treasure being treated as an open sewer.”
In the most recent reading of the water quality at Portobello Beach (West) taken on September 8, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) recorded E.coli levels of 4800cfu/ml and an intestinal enterococci level of 9500cfu/ml. According to SEPA, E.coli levels above 500 and intestinal enterococci levels above 200 are “indicative that water was of low quality when the sample was taken”.
Mr Trout added: “There's never an explanation and we only get these numbers after the fact. It's contemptuous. It's dangerous. It's gross, it's negligent, it's getting worse, and it has to change.”
Mr Murray is calling on the Scottish Government to take action similar to what has been seen in England and cut back on bonuses of water bosses until pollution issues are properly dealt with.
The MP, who has launched the new petition on his website, added: “There is no reason why the Scottish Government should not take similar steps to hold Scottish Water bosses to account.
"Scottish Water executives received more than £250,000 in bonuses last year, while our communities continue to face pollution and beach closures. I simply do not think that is acceptable.
"I'm calling on the Scottish Government to scrap these bonuses while sewage continues to flow into our rivers and seas. I hope local residents will sign our petition and help send a clear message that while there is human sewage in our waters, Scottish Water executives should not be rewarded."
A spokesperson for Scottish Water previously said: "Performance-related payments are part of an organisation-wide scheme that applies across Scottish Water. It is not automatic and is payable only if the organisation meets performance targets.
"In 2025/26, Scottish Water delivered its second-best year for operational performance, including record customer satisfaction, its lowest ever number of serious pollution incidents, high drinking water quality and continued progress on the largest investment programme in its history."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Scottish Water is subject to independent economic regulation, one of the most transparent and demanding improvement regimes of any public body in Scotland. We expect it to continue outperforming the tough efficiency targets set by its regulator.
“Like any large organisation, Scottish Water must compete with the private sector to attract and retain the skilled people needed to run the business and deliver the improvements government has asked for. Bonuses are only paid when demanding, independently verified targets are exceeded.
“The remuneration package for the Chief Executive and senior team, including salary and bonus, remains significantly lower than at comparable utility companies.”