Charlotte here. Tim’s down with flu, so I’m taking the chance to write about something closer to home. I didn’t set out to become an activist. Like most people, I assumed someone, somewhere, was keeping an eye on things. That changed two summers ago when children in the village began falling ill after swimming in local waters. It became clear that if things were to get fixed, it would have to start with us.

We began simply. With help from our friend, marine scientist Saz Reed, we secured a small grant, bought testing equipment, and started sampling the water. We tested for E. coli and Enterococcus, both indicators of sewage contamination. It didn’t take long to see a pattern. A Scottish Water overflow pipe discharged close to a well-used swimming spot in Loch Leven at Ballachulish. Support from Surfers Against Sewage allowed us to have samples verified by an accredited lab, and we formed Loch Leven Sea Savers. Since April 2025, weekly testing has created a consistent public record and fixed more problems. Around forty people have supported the project, with a core group carrying out the work.

Data alone, though, rarely drives change. In June we applied for official Bathing Water status through SEPA. The criteria usually require more than 150 bathers per day, something unrealistic for a rural area. We had to make a different case. We documented how the loch is actually used, by swimmers, kayakers, divers, paddleboarders, anglers, etc. We gathered support from landowners, businesses, politicians and environmental health officials. The argument was not only about public health, but also conservation and better management of visitor pressure.

It was an exhausting process, and as the 2026 season approached, it felt unlikely to succeed. Then the letter arrived. Gillian Martin MSP confirmed that, despite not meeting the usual threshold, the strength of the community application justified designation. For the first time in Scotland, ministerial discretion had been used to approve a bathing water. The local response has been hugely positive. But it doesn’t feel like an ending. If anything, it marks a beginning. The real work now is to ensure that recognition leads to lasting improvement in water quality. If there’s one lesson, it’s this. Change often begins with a handful of people willing to take responsibility, and to keep going long enough for others to join them.

Charlotte Parkin

Click here to download issue 347 (high quality, 210Mb)

Click here to download issue 347 (smaller download, 105Mb)