Scottish Water is calling on people across Lanarkshire not to engage in anti-social behaviour at its reservoirs after several recent cases of littering, fires being left unattended, trees cut down and even human waste discarded on adjacent land. The publicly-owned utility said 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.
Worst behaviour witnessed
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, and parked vehicles inconsiderately on nearby roads and verges.
The paths, woodland and shorelines around Scotland's reservoirs attract tens of thousands of visitors every year and visitor numbers have increased at many of the 300 Scottish Water operate.
Appeal to visitors
Donna Mills, Scottish Water's land strategy team leader, said: "We are urging those people who have behaved in an anti-social 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. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the amenities around the reservoirs and to do so in a responsible way. 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."
Scottish Water has a small team of reservoir rangers who patrol the reservoirs to help visitors enjoy them and protect the natural habitat and they urge the public to take away all their belongings and litter and leave no trace of their visit. Mills added: "But our rangers can't be everywhere all the time and we really need visitors to hear our call and think carefully about their behaviour and how it impacts the environment and other people."
Outdoor access code
Any form of damage to the environment is in breach of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, developed by Scottish Natural Heritage - now NatureScot, which offers guidance on the rights and responsibilities of the public and land managers such as Scottish Water. The code's key principles include respect the interests of other people, care for the environment, and take responsibility for your own actions. More information on the code is available via the Scottish Water website.
