Stormwater News

Loch Leven in Glencoe is one of the most stunning destinations in the Scottish Highlands. Renowned for its stunning landscapes and biodiversity, the area boasts a wide variety of endangered flora. It’s also home to many different bird species, including golden eagles, snow buntings, and rock ptarmigans. When a local scientist named Saz Reed saw a video on social media of sewage spilling into a nearby waterway, she knew she had to take action to protect this beloved region.

Saz Reed is a marine scientist, small business owner, open water swim coach, and founder of a new stormwater monitoring initiative in the Scottish Highlands. Saz has had many years of experience in the world of water quality monitoring. After studying marine biology and oceanology at the University of Plymouth, she worked as a Marine Assistant and conducted research on microplastics and water pollution in Antarctica for 18 months. After moving to Scotland, she worked for the Scottish Association for Marine Science for five years. This year, she decided to start her own business as a freelance marine science consultant. With newfound flexibility in her schedule, Saz leapt into a project aimed at protecting the waterways in her village.

After reading that several children became ill after swimming in a local waterway, Saz suspected that the issue of sewage-contaminated runoff was the cause. For both humans and wildlife alike, swimming in water where raw sewage is discharged can lead to serious health concerns, such as diarrhea, vomiting, as well as infections of the skin, ears, eyes, and respiratory system. Saz conducted standard bacteria testing for E. Coli and Enterococcus, two types of bacteria present in fecal matter that can cause sickness and infection. Similar to the procedure used by the Salish Sea Stormwater Monitoring Project, Saz uses R-Cards to conduct this bacteria testing. Manufactured by Roth Bioscience, R-Cards display bacteria colonies as small blue dots after a water sample incubates on the card’s surface for twenty four hours. The R-Card was completely blue after incubation, meaning that a very high concentration of bacteria was undeniably present in the water sample. Results and work on the River Coe and Loch Leven are currently ongoing.

After obtaining further evidence at a nearby site, Saz worked with local businesses, government officials and regulators to get to the bottom of why the outlet was pumping out raw sewage into Loch Leven. Authorities discovered that the issue occurred when the independant septic tank was not correctly pumped and overflowed into a stormwater outfall pipe, therefore dumping raw sewage into the Loch. Unfortunately, this case is not an isolated incident. According to the The Marine Conservation Society, raw sewage was flushed into Scottish rivers and seas for over 100,000 hours in 2022.

With the help of volunteers Tim and Charlotte Parkin, Saz is working hard to find solutions and make a difference in the community. She’s also teamed up with local nonprofits Kinlochlovin’ and the Ullapool Seasavers to form the Loch Leven Seasavers. Thanks to this collaboration, Saz was able to secure funding from Highlands and Islands Climate Hub to purchase more R-Cards, microscopes and identification books.

Saz’s small team routinely monitors various water bodies around the region for bacteria concentrations. Saz has also created a reporting form so that community members can alert her if they spot (or smell) potential contamination in the region. In collaboration with city regulators, she’s working to resolve the issue of private septic tanks leaking into public waters. Alongside Dr. Isla Hodgson, Saz will be running free educational workshops for children to raise awareness about pollution prevention. She shares, “I absolutely love where I live, and as the Seasavers team always says, people protect what they love. My hope is that this project becomes a community entity that will go forward in the long run and be passed on for generations.”

The Salish Sea Stormwater Monitoring Projects admires and appreciates Saz Reed for identifying an issue in her community and taking action to make a difference! Her water quality monitoring efforts will help keep residents of all ages safe from harmful bacteria by identifying where it is safe or unsafe to swim. This project will help preserve the beauty and biodiversity of Loch Leven and protect the wildlife who call it home. Join the Loch Leven Sea Savers Facebook Group to learn more and follow along!