Water Quality and Health

Shaping the Future of Faecal Indicator Organism (FIO) Modelling in Scotland

Scotland’s Shellfish Water Protected Areas, shellfish production areas, and bathing waters are monitored for faecal contamination using faecal indicator organisms (FIOs), such as E. coli. These indicators help assess the potential presence of harmful pathogens, supporting the protection of human health and informing actions to improve water quality. Faecal contamination can originate from a range of sources, including livestock, wildlife, septic tanks and wastewater systems, and its behaviour is strongly influenced by rainfall and hydrology. Modelling of E.

Review of existing faecal indicator organism (FIO) models and future integration opportunities

This project looked at how modelling can help better understand where E. coli and other faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) in Scotland’s rivers, coastal waters and shellfish areas are coming from. These pollutants can originate from several sources — including livestock, wildlife, septic tanks and wastewater systems — and their behaviour is strongly influenced by rainfall and hydrology. Monitoring alone cannot show which sources are most important, especially during short‑lived events such as storms.

CREW Summer 2026 Newsletter

💧 The Summer Edition of CREW News is now available ☀️

From climate change, flooding and mental health, to valuing the benefits of protecting and improving Scotland’s water environment, the latest edition of the CREW newsletter highlights recent projects, opportunities and events supporting water policy and practice across Scotland.

In this edition: 

CREW Spring 2026 Newsletter

Welcome to the spring edition of our quarterly newsletter, CREW NEWS! In this edition we reflect on the launch of Planning for Water Scarcity: Practical Guidance for Scottish Farmers and Growers, share a new call for proposals and hear from our Project Manager, Aniska Cameron.

We'd love to hear what you'd be interested in reading in future issues of CREW NEWS. 

CRW2025_05 Increasing understanding of the environmental implications of utilising treated wastewater effluent in hydrogen production

Type of project: Capacity Building Project

Overview: CREW invites proposals for a c.7.5-month Capacity Building project to increase understanding of the environmental implications of utilising treated wastewater effluent in hydrogen production.

Budget: Funding available £77,000 exclusive of VAT (where applicable).

Call dates: Call closed.

CRW2025_04 Road Run-off Pollution: An evidence review of current and emerging risks to Scotland’s water environment, human health, and the policy and regulatory landscape

Type of project: Capacity Building Project

Overview: CREW invites proposals for a c.7.5-month Capacity Building project to develop a risk framework to assess the potential impacts of road run-off on Scotland’s water environment and human health.

Budget: Funding available £85,000 exclusive of VAT (where applicable).

Call dates: Call closed.

CRW2025_06 Source-to-sea risk and prioritisation – evidence and methods review

Type of project: Capacity Building Project

Overview: CREW invites proposals for a c.9.5-month Capacity Building project to deliver an evidence synthesis and review, a gap analysis, and a methodological review focused on land- and freshwater-based sources of pressures relevant to the sensitivities of key assets in marine and estuarine waters.

Budget: Funding available £90,000 exclusive of VAT (where applicable).

CREW News Autumn 2025


Welcome to the autumn edition of our quarterly newsletter, CREW NEWS! In this edition we are shining a spotlight on how we embed impact in our work, highlighting recent events, seminars and publications, and hearing from our Project Manager, Rebekah Burman.

We'd love to hear what you'd be interested in reading in future issues of CREW NEWS. 

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