Clean Up Scotland’s Sewage: World Water Day
Rivers are not sewers. Seas are not sewers. Sewage pollution doesn’t just wash away with water, it needs action.
This World Water Day on 22 March, join the Clean Up Scotland’s Sewage campaign to send a clear message to the Scottish Government: sewage pollution needs action.
Across Scotland, communities are leading the way – campaigning to stop pollution, cleaning wet wipes from riverbanks and beaches, restoring wildlife like native oysters and training as citizen scientists to protect the health of rivers and coasts.
Yet, tens of thousands of sewage spills from sewer overflows are polluting these same places each year. Communities’ concerns and complaints are being dismissed. Laws that should prevent sewage pollution are outdated and not always enforced.
Join us at Granton Beach in Edinburgh or participate anywhere in Scotland with three actions for World Water Day, calling the Scottish Government to commit to our four asks.
We all have the human right to safe water – let’s stand up for it together.
How you can participate
World Water Day at Granton Beach
We are gathering at Granton Beach in Edinburgh to send a clear message to the Scottish Government – sewage pollution doesn’t wash away with water, it needs action.
At midday, we will take a group photo with placards and flags. We’ll then move to the campaign stall indoors at The Pitt to write postcards to the Scottish Government and talk about the rivers and coasts we all want to protect.
Three actions for World Water Day
The next Scottish Government will set targets for our publicly owned water industry until 2033. So running up to the Holyrood elections in May 2026, we are at a critical moment to make our voices heard.
Demand decision-makers to protect our health, rivers and seas from sewage pollution.
1. Write a postcard to the Scottish Government
Write a postcard about how sewage pollution has affected you or why it’s important for you to protect rivers and seas. We’ll add it to our map of Scotland to build evidence and deliver it to the new Scottish Government in May 2026.
Map from OpenStreetMap.
2. Write to your MSP
Urge your MSP/preferred candidate 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.
3. Sign the petition to all Scottish parties
If you live in Scotland, add your name to the hundreds of people and over 50 organisations who have already signed. To protect nature and our right to a healthy environment, the next Scottish Government must tackle the reckless use of sewer overflows.
