A Clean Water Act can upgrade our Victorian sewage network - Alex Cole-Hamilton

SEPA has lifted advice against swimming at Portobello Beach

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) had issued a warning that a routine test had revealed the presence of faecal bacteria that could be harmful to human health in the water at the popular beach.

This isn’t the first time that locals, visitors and pets have been advised to stay out of the water.

Recurring incidents along the Firth of Forth have risked the beauty of our coast, disrupted trade for local businesses and posed a significant threat to our environment and health.

However, there is no routine monitoring of sewage overflows in the Capital. This means that we don’t know how much sewage is pouring into our rivers and onto our beaches.

Portobello Beach is more than just a local attraction; it is a hub for recreational activities and a vital part of our local ecosystem. Families, swimmers and dog walkers flock to these shores.

This is an iconic location in our Capital but once again people are being asked to stay out of the water. As Edinburgh gears up for its busiest month, this sends a terrible message.

This is not just Edinburgh’s problem, however. Sewage is being dumped all across Scotland.

In 2023 Scottish Water’s figures indicate sewage was dumped over 21,000 times, an increase of 10 per cent on the year before. However, the problem is likely to be far worse. In comparison to England where every dump is now recorded, only a small fraction of sewage discharge pipes in Scotland are actually monitored. That means although we know that sewage was dumped at least 59 times a day last year, even that figure is likely to be a huge underestimate.

Aging infrastructure, increased pressure on our sewage systems due to population growth and extreme weather events have all contributed to this problem. But acknowledging the causes is not enough. We need a robust and forward-thinking response to safeguard the future of Portobello and all our other beaches, rivers and lochs.

That’s why Scottish Liberal Democrats have set out plans for a Clean Water Act. This would upgrade our Victorian sewage network, track down every dump and introduce the first targets for tackling them, create a blue flag system for Scotland’s rivers, and implement a complete ban on the dumping of sewage in protected areas like bathing waters.

People are sick of governments that are neck-deep in this scandal and it's an insult that bosses at the Scottish Government-owned Scottish Water are taking home bumper bonuses.

We need to adopt a more proactive approach to managing extreme weather events. Climate change is no longer a distant threat; its effects are being felt here and now. Increased rainfall is overwhelming our creaking sewage systems and the government needs to stop defending outdated standards. People want to see a proper plan with real-time updates on what's happening near them, detailed reports on the progress of infrastructure upgrades, and clear communication channels for reporting and addressing sewage incidents.

The issue of beach closures in Portobello is a stark reminder of the need to fix Scotland’s sewage network. Let us seize this moment to turn the tide and secure a future where Portobello’s waters are once again clean and inviting.