In March 2023, we submitted a formal complaint to Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) about the prohibitively high threshold for applicants seeking bathing water designation for Scotland’s beaches, lochs and rivers. Following an investigation by ESS to assess if the excessively high threshold of 150 bathers per day was lawful, the Scottish Government has confirmed that this threshold has been dropped. However, a raft of new requirements have been introduced, placing additional burdens on communities who want a safe place to swim.