Anger in Gairloch at waste water 'downgrading'

Residents of Gairloch are preparing to hold a demonstration on Friday

Villagers in Gairloch are campaigning against what they describe as a planned downgrading of the community's waste water treatment plant.

Scottish Water has proposed using an ultra-violet filtration system on sewage for five months of the year.

Outside of the bathing season, waste water would be treated in settling tanks before being discharged.

Campaigners say the preferred UV system would not be used all year for the sake of saving "a few thousand pounds".

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), which has approved Scottish Water's plans, said there would be no deterioration in the "good status" of Loch Gairloch, into which treated waste water is eventually discharged.

Scottish Water said it was considering whether the installation of a small wind turbine could provide the power needed to extend the use of the UV treatment at its Fasaich treatment works.

'Retrograde step'

Scottish ministers are considering the utility company's plans.

During Thursday's first minister's questions at Holyrood, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant urged the government to intervene and call-in the plans.

Responding, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said ministers would decide within the next month if a call-in was required for further scrutiny.

Sepa says the quality of Loch Gairloch's waters would not deteriorate

Meanwhile, campaigners are preparing to hold a demonstration on their local beach on Friday.

Ahead of the event, Fran Cree of Gairloch Community Council said the community considered Scottish Water's proposals to be "a complete retrograde step" in the face of calls to clean up the world's seas.

She told BBC Scotland: "David Attenborough is on the telly saying 'clean up our seas for us', and we are doing our best and then Scottish Water announce that they are downgrading the treatment of the loch.

"That doesn't seem to make any sense to us."

On the other side of Loch Gairloch at Badachro, fisherman Ian McWhinney said he was "appalled" by the idea of using the UV system for only part of the year.

He said: "The rest of the time we're not important enough to use it for the sake of a few thousand pounds."

'Sewage suggestion inaccurate'

Scottish Water said its planned disk filter and ultra-violet treatment would meet new bathing waters environmental standards.

A spokeswoman added: "In response to the feedback we have received from the community, we are exploring what additional activities would be appropriate in this particular setting.

"This includes investigating whether installation of a small wind turbine at our site could enable us to offset some of the financial and carbon costs associated with extending the operation of UV treatment.

"We will keep the community updated about the progress of this work and our wider plans."

Gairloch's waste water treatment works at Fasaich

Sepa said it had been scrutinising Scottish Water's plans since May 2016.

A spokesman said: "Sepa experts in water quality have assessed the impact of the proposed treatment system and are satisfied that an appropriate level of protection is in place for the designated bathing waters and wildlife habitats.

"There will be no deterioration in the 'good' status of Loch Gairloch as a result of the Scottish Water proposals, with enhanced treatment during bathing waters season (June to September) protecting the 'excellent' status of the bathing waters at Sand Beach and Gairloch Beach.

"Any suggestion that sewage will be untreated is inaccurate."

Campaigners claim not using the UV system all year would only save a few thousand pounds

He added: "Maintaining this enhanced level of treatment for a full 12 months would result in other impacts such as increased use of energy and materials, and would not be consistent with standards applied at other comparable locations across Scotland."

The Scottish government said: "We are determined to ensure the quality of the bathing waters at Gairloch is maintained.

"Ministers have now received a formal request to review Scottish Water's application to Sepa. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."