Notes

Water Resources

5.1Tables 5.1 and 5.2 show developed water resources. On 1 April 1996 the responsibility for Scotland's water resources transferred from the 9 Regional and 3 Islands Councils and Central Scotland Water Distribution Board (CSWDB) to the three new water authorities; North of Scotland Water Authority, West of Scotland Water Authority and East of Scotland Water Authority. CSWDB's resources of Loch Turret and Loch Lomond were transferred to the East of Scotland Water Authority. Maps 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 show the main reservoirs, lochs, rivers, streams, and underground sources, used as developed water resources in Scotland, by each of the water authorities. Table 5.4 and chart 5.1 show the non-domestic metered demand for large consumers using on average, in excess of 1,000 cubic metres per quarter.

Water Treatment Works

5.2 Map 5.5 shows the locations and capacities of water treatment works in Scotland.

Sewage Works and Discharges

5.3 Since April 1996, the Scottish Water Authorities have operated the public sewage disposal facilities, whilst water pollution control and monitoring are the responsibility of SEPA.

5.4 Data in the tables are, in the main, obtained from the 3 Water Authorities. In tables 5.8 and 5.9 the term "sludge disposal" refers to the disposal of waste removed during treatment at a sewage treatment works.

Disposal of Waste in the sea by methods other than pipeline

5.5 The deposit of substances or articles in the sea, other than discharges from a pipeline, is regulated by licenses issued under the Food and Environment Protection Act (FEPA) 1985, Part II Deposits in the Sea (as amended by the Environmental Protection Act 1990).

Certain operations are exempt from licensing under the Deposits in the Sea (Exemptions) Order 1985. In Scotland, the licensing function is administered by the Marine Laboratory Aberdeen, a division of Fisheries Research Services which is an Executive agency of SOAEFD, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

The three main categories of waste material that are disposed of by direct dumping in the sea are dredged material, excavated from ports, harbours and navigation channels, and sewage sludge. The disposal of sewage sludge in Scottish waters (table 5.9) must cease by 31 December 1998. Tables 5.9 and 5.10 prepared by SOAEFD are used by the Oslo Commission (the inter-governmental organisation which controls the disposal of waste at sea by regulating dumping and incineration activities in the North East Atlantic) and are included in the Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report published by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF).

Water Authority Capital Expenditure on Sewerage and Sewage Treatment

5.6 The information in table 5.11 is derived from local authority returns to the Scottish Office for the years 1985-86 to 1995-96. On 1 April 1996 the responsibility for Scotland's sewerage and sewage treatment transferred from the 9 Regional and 3 Islands Councils to the three new water authorities; (see paragraph 5.1).

Water Quality

5.7 Maps 5.7 to 5.10 and table 5.13 were taken from the Water Quality Survey of 1995 which was published by SOAEFD.

5.8 Using their knowledge of their areas and assessing the information available to them, SEPA assign to each section of river, loch and canal, one of 4 classifications based on the chemical content of the water;

Class 1 - unpolluted

Class 2 - fairly good

Class 3 - poor

Class 4 - grossly polluted

Similarly, taking account of biological, aesthetic, and chemical quality, each area of the major estuaries is classified. For the first time in 1995, major lochs were also classified using a new quality scheme.

Harmonised monitoring

5.9 In 1972, a comprehensive monitoring scheme was initiated by the Government departments responsible for the national management of freshwater in order to enable:

a. an estimate to be made, in connection with the UK's international obligations, of materials carried down rivers into estuaries; and

b. long-term trends in river quality to be identified.

To meet the objectives of the monitoring scheme, 57 sampling points were selected in Scotland (map 5.4) and regular sampling and analysis of a variety of determinands was started in 1975. Table 5.17 shows some results from this monitoring in 1996.

5.10 Under the requirements of the EC Exchange of Information Decision, harmonised monitoring results at 3 Scottish sites, Fochabers on the Spey, Craighall on the Almond, and Renton Footbridge on the Leven, are passed to the EC Commission. The Harmonised Monitoring Scheme (HMS) is also used to provide data for a number of other international commitments such as the World Health Organisations - Global Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS) data for OECD. In addition, HMS data are presented in a number of other Government publications.

Discharge Compliance and European Commission (EC) Directives

5.11 Parallel to the changes in national legislation concerned with water quality, which have taken place over the last few years ( for more details see Water Quality Survey of Scotland 1995), there has been the development of EC Directives related to the Environmental Action Programme and Water Pollution Control.

Water Pollution Events Arising from Agricultural Practice

5.12 Data for table 5.12 is provided by the Scottish Agricultural Pollution Group, (formerly the Scottish Farm Waste Liaison Group). The group, which comprises representatives from SEPA, SOAEFD and the Scottish Agricultural College, compiles and collates the data from recorded cases reported by SEPA.

5.13 The Fresh Water Fish Directive (78/659/EEC) requires member states to designate fresh waters needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life. The categories of fish life referred to in table 5.14 are salmonoid, (salmon, trout) and cyprinid (coarse fish). The Directive contains minimum physical and chemical standards which must be met and monitoring is carried out by SEPA.

5.14 Table 5.15 shows the results of monitoring the 23 waters of Scotland identified as bathing waters in terms of EC Directive 76/160/EEC. The monitoring is now the responsibility of SEPA.

Oil Production

5.15 Detail of oil production and related employment are given in tables 5.18 and 5.19, and map 5.12. Further information is available in the Scottish Office Industry and Education Department (SOEID) publication, Scottish Economic Bulletin.

Oil Pollution