Gairloch to hear of new waste water plan

CAMPAIGNERS who successfully battled plans they feared could tarnish pristine Wester Ross beaches will learn of alternative water treatment proposals next week.

Scottish Water will update the Gairloch community on the future of the waste water treatment works serving the area.

In April, it withdrew an application to change its discharge licence at Gairloch to allow more discussion after a storm of protest which included a demonstration by locals on one of the village’s beaches.

Gairloch Community Hall will host the meeting on Monday between 3.30pm and 7.30pm. Scottish Water’s team will report back on the progress that has been made in collaboration with a local stakeholder group over the summer.

Following an independent technical review, it has been agreed that Scottish Water should install a new treatment process made up of septic tanks, disc filters and ultra-violet (UV) treatment.

It has agreed to operate the new treatment process throughout the year for an initial two-year pilot period. It will then seek to provide treatment without UV for an agreed period in the second winter.

Scottish Water says that will allow it to understand "the relative environmental benefit of providing additional treatment outwith the designated bathing water season".

At the end of the pilot period, Scottish Water will work with the stakeholder group to agree long-term operating arrangements based on the evidence obtained.

Scottish Water’s head of corporate relations Alan Thomson said: "Our key goal is to find a reliable and sustainable solution that will serve our customers in Gairloch for the long term, reduce the risk of pollution and ensure the excellent status of Gairloch’s bathing waters is maintained."

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