Bathers looking to take a cooling seaside dip this summer can do so safe in the knowledge that the water quality meets acceptable standards despite an unexplained test failure in Fife last month.
Results in relation to bathing water quality across Fife and Tayside reveal most of the area’s beaches are clean and the water is safe to swim in, following regular inspections conducted by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
But experts have been left baffled by the result of a test at Kinghorn’s Pettycur beach last month which showed the number of bacteria recorded in a sample was higher than the level permitted.
Subsequent tests showed the water quality has since returned to normal but scientists at SEPA have been left scratching their heads at the June 13 sample which showed there were 3400 faecal coliforms in 100ml of water tested much more than the 2000 limit considered safe.
A SEPA spokesman confirmed the water at Pettycur beach had passed further tests on June 16, June 21, June 28, July 4, July 9, July 12 and July 15, meaning the reason for the earlier failure remains unexplained.
“Joint investigations between SEPA and Scottish Water did not reveal any asset point source which would account for this exceedance,” SEPA stated. “There are not considered to be any farms or agricultural activities in the locality which would result in contaminated run-off affecting the bathing water.
“As the water quality returned to the expected excellent standard three days later at this site it can be considered that the pollution event has passed, although unfortunately the cause is likely to remain unknown.”
Samples are taken at each location throughout the bathing season, which runs from June 1 to September, while a pre-season sample is also taken during the last fortnight in May.
As well as Pettycur, samples have been taken at Aberdour Harbour, Aberdour Silver Sands, Anstruther Billow Ness, Arbroath West Links, Broughty Ferry, Burntisland, Carnoustie, Crail Roome Bay, Elie Harbour and Earlsferry, Elie Ruby Bay, Kinghorn Harbour, Kingsbarns, Kirkcaldy Seafield, Leven, Lunan Bay, Monifieth, Montrose, St Andrews West Sands, St Andrews East Sands and Tentsmuir Sands.
The news on the water quality front so far this summer season is positive compared to the problems many resorts had last year when several beaches failed a number of tests.
Unusually high seas and strong winds were blamed for beaches failing to reach mandatory minimum standards required last summer, with Elie and Earlsferry, for example, falling short for the first time in its history.
Water quality is deemed hugely important in terms of the national Blue Flag award scheme, which aims to highlight the country’s best beaches and can often be a big boost to visitor numbers.