Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it selects locations for water quality monitoring and reporting.
Water bodies may be monitored for different purposes, such as public health or assessing the status of the water environment, which helps determine the location for quality monitoring and reporting.
The process for the designation of new bathing waters is set out on SEPA’s website: Bathing Waters | Designation | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
SEPA delivers a prioritised programme of cost-effective environmental monitoring across Scotland. Its monitoring network is defined using a risk-based approach that is designed to meet the requirements of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003. More information is available here: Monitoring | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).