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REDUCING BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION IN WATERCOURSES (Tier 3)
Article 52(b)(i)
Measure Code (321)
Rationale for Intervention
There is an obligation on Ministers to comply with the bacterial standards established in Shellfish and Bathing Waters Directives, and discharges from rural septic tanks can contribute to reductions in quality.
Water quality is potentially affected by a range of sources of bacterial contamination, including public sewerage, diffuse pollution from various land use activities, including grazing animals, and private septic tanks. SEPA now regulate all activities relating to water pollution control under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) Regulations 2005 ( CAR), and can take steps to enforce where it is considered that either point sources, such as sewage treatment works, or diffuse sources, are leading to water quality concerns. Whilst Scottish Water is funded by Scottish Ministers to undertake works where public sewerage is involved, private septic arrangements are not supported through that funding arrangement, and there are no other forms of support available to assist in upgrading such facilities to meet water quality standards. Financial support is required in more remote areas for enhanced treatment where capital costs may be relatively high and a barrier to investment.
Objectives of the measure
Improvements in bathing water quality through support for provision of additional sewage treatment facilities such as biological filtration and ultraviolet light disinfection plant or reed bed treatment of rural septic tanks outflows.
Scope and actions
Support for investment in infrastructure required to improve sewage treatment facilities such as biological filtration and ultraviolet light disinfection plant or reed bed treatment of rural septic tanks outflows.
A collaborative approach is essential as it is likely that action on individual sites will not produce the desired level of improvement. Where appropriate, sufficient numbers of individual septic tanks will need to be involved, similarly, community septic tanks will require the agreement of the local community to succeed.
Type of services supported
- Provision of additional sewage treatment facilities to reduce or eliminate microbiological content of effluents. May involve biological filtration and possibly ultraviolet light disinfection plant or reed bed treatment of septic tanks outflows.
- The degree of additional treatment will be set on a site-specific basis.
- Site can only be considered for grant where a SEPA identify a septic tank has a significant impact on WFD protected area, where the key water parameter is microbiological quality.
- Support for applications which are linked to the proposed Constructed Wetlands measure under Axis 1 will be given priority.
- The potential beneficiary must have an existing functioning septic tank system that meets basic criteria of discharge authorisation, issued by SEPA. This may need to be confirmed by laboratory analysis of outfall samples.
Type of Cost covered
- facultative ponds
- reed beds or other biological filtration systems
- disinfection processes, including ultraviolet light and dosing methods
Type of support
One-off capital payment of 50% of actual cost of investment in the infrastructure on project completion.
Demarcation line and criteria with other EU financial instruments
Where schemes are already projected for funding through Scottish Water developments, no support would be offered.
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