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Take action

Take action to Clean Up Scotland’s Sewage

Thank you for signing the petition to Clean Up Scotland’s Sewage and joining the campaign. It is great to have you with us to stand up to the pollution of our rivers and coasts.

Running up to the Holyrood elections in May 2026, we are at a critical moment to make our voices heard. The petition demonstrates our concerns and demand for action – this is a good start.  

Want to take more action? Let’s get MSPs to listen to us and put sewage pollution front and centre, so it is impossible to ignore.

  1. Email your MSP this month
  2. Meet with your MSP before the election in May
  3. Write a postcard to the Scottish Government
  4. Share the campaign on social media

Advice Service

If you have specific concern about water pollution, please contact us for free legal advice. 

Get advice ›

1. Email your MSP this month

Urge your MSP to support our four asks: making pollution visible, stopping routine pollution, holding polluters to account and building in resilience.

Below is a template letter that you can adapt. Adding personal detail about why you are concerned about sewage pollution in your area is very helpful.

Template letter to your MSP on manifesto asks

2. Meet with your MSP before the election in May

Asking your MSP to meet at your local river or beach is a good opportunity to discuss your local concerns and show them what the campaign is about – protecting our waterways.

Use our template letter to request a meeting with your MSP. We are happy to support you every step of the way.

Template letter to your MSP to request a meeting

How to engage with your MSP

Tips for engaging with your MSP

River Almond Action Group and SOSLeith have put their best tips together for you in the ‘How to engage with your MSP‘ pack.


“Be specific about how this affects you locally. MSPs care about what is affecting their constituents in their place. It is a national issue, but it needs to resonate with something locally.”

– Pippa, River Almond Action Group


“Make the messaging sound common sense. State clearly the assumption that the MSP/councillor/MP you are writing to has no interest in promoting sewage in the water”.

– Jim, SOSLeith

3. Write a postcard to the Scottish Government

We are collecting postcards about sewage pollution across Scotland to build a map of evidence and show the Scottish Government that you care.

The postcards will be shared on our website and social media, and sent to the new Scottish Government in May 2026.

Explore the map below to see what others have written.

Fill in this form to write a postcard

These postcards have been written by ERCS supporters and we welcome writers to share their thoughts and engage in debate on all aspects of environmental rights. The views expressed are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect ERCS’s position. ERCS is not responsible for the accuracy of any information supplied.

4. Share the campaign on social media

By sharing the campaign, you help to grow our shared voice so we can make our asks heard.

Repost one of our posts below or post your own under #CleanUpScotlandsSewage.

Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (@ercscot)

Bluesky

We want to clean up Scotland's sewage – here's how ⬇️ There is clear evidence that our sewer system is no longer fit for purpose. We are calling all Scottish parties to make clean water a priority in their election manifestos.Join us by signing the petition: www.ercs.scot/clean-up-sco…

— Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (@ercscot.bsky.social) 2025-11-25T10:48:07.238Z

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ERCS Justice for People and the Environment

Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland

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EH2 2PR, Edinburgh

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