I have spent much of my career in public service, including a long career with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, where decisions are grounded in evidence and focused on protecting people and places. Since joining the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as Chief Operating Officer with responsibility for regulation, I have seen that same principle at the heart of how Scotland manages its bathing waters.

Bathing water quality matters to communities, to people who use these places to relax and connect with the outdoors, and to the local economies they support. With the Scottish bathing water season starting, people will be looking for clear information about water quality, what affects it and how it is improving.

Thirty years ago, in 1996, bathing waters were brought under a single national, scientific and regulatory framework with the establishment of SEPA. At that point, 45 bathing waters were monitored against a simple pass or fail standard based on a single season, with 41 meeting the required standard and four failing.

That national approach created a consistent evidence base, improved understanding of where pressures were coming from and enabled more coordinated action across Scotland.

Over the decades since, monitoring has expanded and standards have become more stringent. Bathing waters are now assessed using four years of data to classify water quality as Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor. Using four years of data provides a more reliable picture of........

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