Following a community campaign against proposals by Scottish Water to replace the existing treatment works at Fhasaich and discharge minimally treated sewage effluent into the loch, the main Gairloch beach (Gaineabh Mhòr) and the Sands beach were given "Designated Bathing Waters" status for 2017, and Scottish Water was asked to revise its plans to take account of the need to maintain higher standards of seawater cleanliness in the area. In autumn 2017 it proposed additional filtering and sterilization of the effluent, but only during the peak bathing season in the summer, with basic septic tank treatment for the rest of the year.