Scottish water quality project will waste £30m, says regulator

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) has said that a government scheme to improve the water quality of Loch Ryan will be a waste of money.

Located in Dumfries and Galloway, the loch is used for oyster fishing and therefore must satisfy EU standards for water cleanliness, Scotland on Sunday reports.

WICS chief executive Alan Sutherland told the newspaper that the £30 million earmarked by ministers for the clean-up is "disproportionate", as only one oyster fishery is currently established there.

"You can buy a lot of jobs with £30 million", Mr Sutherland commented.

However, a spokesperson for the Scottish government defended the level of spending at Loch Ryan.

"This essential investment is necessary for Scotland to meet its environmental obligations set by European directives," he told the publication.

Based in Stirling, WICS took over the regulation of the country's water and sewerage services from the former Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland in 2005.

Posted by Claire Manning