Radioactive Water Detected Leaking Into Sea From UK Nuclear Bombs Base

Confidential inspection files have revealed that radioactive water escaped from the UK’s nuclear weapons storage facility at Coulport into Loch Long, a sea loch near Glasgow, Scotland.

The leaks were traced to neglected maintenance of a network of about 1,500 water pipes, many well past their design life.

In particular, a major incident in August 2019 saw tritium-contaminated water flood through a weapons processing area into the loch.

While tritium levels were low and considered non-harmful, regulators described the incidents as avoidable and criticised the Ministry of Defence’s asset management failures.

The files were released only after a six-year battle to secure public access.