Opinion: It is time to clean up Scotland’s sewage with a Clean Water Act

I would like to take this opportunity to express my support - both personally and on behalf of my party, the Scottish Liberal Democrats - for the Clean Up Scotland’s Sewage campaign efforts.

I share local people's concerns regarding sewage pollution in Scotland’s rivers and seas. These concerns are supported by data obtained through freedom of information requests by the Scottish Liberal Democrats. In 2024 alone, there were 522 sewage spills across the Far North - an increase on the previous year - lasting almost 2,500 hours. Despite this, we know only a handful of overflow sites in our area are monitored, and none record the volume of sewage being discharged.

Surfers Against Sewage is right to believe the true scale of the problem is likely far greater. It isn’t good enough that only a small proportion of Scotland’s sewage overflow points are fully monitored throughout the year, unlike in England. Evidence suggests what we currently know is only the tip of the iceberg, with reports of sewage discharge affecting areas such as the Cromarty Firth, River Thurso, local beaches, and even iconic sites like Smoo Cave.

My position is simple: this situation is unacceptable. When people are becoming unwell after entering the water, it is evident that this is not only an environmental issue but also a serious public health concern. Communities deserve transparency, accountability, and decisive action.

That is why I am campaigning for a comprehensive Clean Water Act for Scotland. This would modernise outdated sewage infrastructure, introduce real-time monitoring at every overflow site, ensure accurate and transparent data is published, and set legally binding targets to reduce sewage discharges. It would also strengthen protections for bathing waters and other environmentally sensitive areas.

Following the terrific campaigning from young people at the North Shore Surf Club and others, I raised the issue of sewage discharges directly with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy last year. However, as reported in the John O’Groat Journal, the SNP Scottish Government declined to commit to full monitoring and continues to rely on modelling rather than direct measurement.

I believe this falls short of what is required. Without proper monitoring, we cannot fully understand the scale of the problem or take effective action to address it.

My party has a record on tackling sewage too. In 2023, a Liberal Democrat amendment to the UK Infrastructure Bank Act prevented the then Conservative government from issuing a blank cheque of taxpayers’ money to polluting water companies. As a result, the UK Infrastructure Bank can now only fund water companies that produce a costed, time-bound plan to end sewage discharges into rivers. While this only applies to England and Wales, it demonstrates our commitment to tackling sewage pollution. 

If elected, I will continue working closely with local residents and campaigners - including the dedicated volunteers at Caithness Beach Cleans, whom I recently had the pleasure of meeting recently - to press for change and stand up for communities across the Far North who are rightly demanding cleaner, safer waters.

David Green
Scottish Liberal Democrat Candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross