Scottish Water calls for a halt to antisocial blight at reservoirs

Several cases of littering, fires being left unattended, trees cut down, and even human waste discarded on adjacent land have been recorded at Lintrathen and Backwater Reservoirs, as well as at other locations across the country.

Scottish Water has said that its team of four rangers who patrol a small number of reservoirs, as well as local people and authorities, are becoming increasingly frustrated at the behaviour of a small minority of visitors who are spoiling the beauty of the amenities for others.

In some of the worst behaviour witnessed so far, a number of people visiting some of the reservoirs have:-

• Abandoned campfires which were still alight dangerously close to woodland
• hacked down trees and other vegetation for firewood
• Left litter - including food wrappings, barbecue and camping equipment, and even chairs - strewn across wide areas
• Discarded human waste on the shorelines of the reservoirs

The reservoirs’ paths, woodland and shorelines attract tens of thousands of visitors every year, and visitor numbers have increased at many of the 300 Scottish Water operates.

Donna Mills, land strategy team leader, said: “We are urging those people who have behaved in an antisocial way at any of our reservoirs to think about their actions and the impact they are having on the environment and local residents and to stop this behaviour immediately.

“Nobody wants to encounter other people’s waste and nobody wants to see fires left unattended or not properly extinguished, with the obvious risk of fire spreading especially during dry weather.

“We want everyone to be able to enjoy the amenities around the reservoirs and to do so in a responsible way.”

Any form of damage is in breach of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code which offers guidance on the rights and responsibilities of the public and land managers. Information is available on Scottish Water’s website.