Sewage in Scotland's rivers and beaches far more widespread than realised

Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) reported thousands of sewage overflow incidents in Scotland, with nearly half of the country's storm overflows releasing sewage more than 50 times last year. Despite such alarming statistics, only 8% of Scotland's outflows are monitored, raising significant concerns for public health and environmental safety.

The findings prompted criticism from Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, who pointed out the alarming incompetence of Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) in managing these issues.

ESS called for an urgent overhaul of Scotland's sewage regulations, stating that current rules, which date back to 1994 and were last revised in 1998, are outdated and inadequate compared to progressive European standards implemented this year.

Mark Roberts, ESS's chief executive, emphasized the need for ministers to publish clearer rules and regulations regarding sewage management to ensure public health protection and environmental safety.

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