The EU Bathing Waters Directive, includes a requirement to monitor water quality at locations popular with large numbers of bathers and to take steps to improve water quality where the necessary standards are not met. This year the Scottish Government consider that restrictions on movement and physical distancing guidance need to be taken into account in determining whether to “expect a large number of people” in Scottish bathing waters during the normal 1 June -15 September bathing water season. In keeping with the phased approach set out in the COVID-19 Framework, Scottish Ministers therefore are proposing to postpone the determination of the period of the bathing season for 2020, so it will not start on 1 June this year, and the designation of any bathing waters in Scotland, on the grounds that they do not expect large numbers of people bathing on our beaches from 1 June 2020. Click here for the consultation which ends on the 29^th May. Click here for bathing season information for England which runs from 15 May to 20 September.