OUR PROJECTS

Firth Aid

Talking Dirty, Keep it Clean

By ELGOL Fund for Nature

Edinburgh Shoreline is currently working on a project about the condition of the sea water in the Firth of Forth.

We would like you to help us by sharing your knowledge and experience of the sea, the coast and the marine environment. This will help us better understand local sea water quality issues.

We’d like to gather sightings of any kind of pollution you see as you are out along the coast. We are also interested in help from swimmers and dog walkers by reporting any ill health affecting you, your family, or your dog following swimming.

This will help to give us a clearer picture of local seawater issues that are affecting marine users and marine habitats, and compile evidence of specific local issues. This information will then be used to advocate for improvement.

Why are we doing this?

For hundreds of years the Firth of Forth and its catchment have been exposed to heavy industrial pollution, agricultural and urban run-off, raw sewage, coal mining, oil spills and shipping impacts. Click on the timeline picture to see a depressing summary of how our local sea has been misused over the last 25 years.

A succession of water quality regulations means that the Forth should now be much cleaner than it has been for generations. However there are still significant issues that need to be addressed.

Public demand for clean bathing water has increased dramatically and restoration efforts focusing on seagrass meadows and native oysters in the Firth of Forth are dependent on good water quality.

There are now 25 designated bathing waters around the Firth of Forth where SEPA monitor water quality from May to September. Many of these are compromised on a regular basis.

In order to be able to measure the impact of water quality on marine users and on marine habitats we need your help to gather evidence of local issues.

We’ll use this information to strengthen conversations with key stakeholders and influencers to help drive positive change.

How can you help?

Document and share real examples of water quality issues using our website to help in our advocacy for improvement.

If you see any of the following please take a photo with location, date and time and submit using the link above

Sewage outfalls flowing into the Firth.
Evidence of sewage anywhere on the coast or in the sea including wet wipes and sanitary products
Evidence of ALL other sources of pollution from river run off, road run off, or industrial outfalls etc.
Your details will be kept securely and the information shared confidentially.
We would be happy to set up a local project for any schools or groups that would like to be actively involved.

Report any illness in you, your family or your dogs to Surfers against Sewage who will summarise findings every 6 months.

Surfers against Sewage are well known for their campaigns for cleaner water for swimmers and surfers and have a system of reporting any health effects from swimming in polluted waters.

Complete a brief questionnaire to help us understand current community thoughts and issues about local water quality.

Helping yourself - useful links

Is it safe to swim? Get water quality information for your favourite surf & swim spots across many UK locations to check if it’s safe to enter the water – brought to you by Surfers Against Sewage.
Glossary Brush up on water quality jargon and definitions.
SEPA bathing water quality predictions – SEPA sample water quality weekly and report results

Aberlady infographic – Gain insight into how a local community on the Firth of Forth are addressing sewage pollution in their locality.

Our aim?

Increased knowledge of the impact of sea water quality on marine users in the Firth of Forth.
A comprehensive data set of visual evidence of algal blooms, plastic pollution, industrial outfalls, sewage, and more on beaches, rocky shorelines and in harbours.
Established nutrient levels and nutrient source (agriculture/sewage) in seagrass meadows around the Firth of Forth to help understand what is affecting them.
Increase local community awareness, monitoring and advocacy through involvement in this project.