2023 Bathing Water Profile for Bamburgh Castle
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Bamburgh Castle Beach is a long remote, sandy beach situated on the north Northumberland coast. The beach is 2.5 kilometres long and slopes gently, resulting in a long distance to the sea at low tide. The Mill Burn crosses the beach to the north of the Environment Agency's designated sampling point.
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Northumberland
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Northumberland
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There are no outfalls discharging directly onto the bathing beach. Within the catchment of Bamburgh bathing water there are two storm and one emergency outfalls that discharge to the Mill Burn. These protect domestic properties and the pumping station in Bamburgh from being flooded by sewage during heavy rainfall. This bathing water is included in the Surfers Against Sewage “Safer Seas Service”. This service can alert you to Combined Storm Sewer Overflow discharges via a phone App and in addition, it includes the Environment Agency Pollution Risk Forecast warnings where they are available. Further details of the service can be found at - http://www.sas.org.uk/safer-seas-service/
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The Environment Agency have worked closely with Northumbrian Water to identify and deliver significant investment in the sewage infrastructure around this bathing water.
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For the four year (2019-2022) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 4% of visits, with 96% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). Environment Agency research suggests this bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
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Modern sewerage systems have two separate systems, one takes foul sewage to sewage treatment, the other takes rainwater runoff through surface water drains to rivers, lakes and the sea. Misconnections occur when waste water pipes are plumbed into surface water drains instead of the foul water sewerage system. This can give rise to pollution when the waste water is discharged directly to the environment through the surface water drain. For example, a washing machine or toilet may be incorrectly plumbed so that it discharges to the surface drain rather than the foul sewage drain.
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For the four year (2019-2022) assessment period where data is available, phytoplankton (microscopic algae) was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 4% of visits. Environment Agency research suggests this bathing water does not have a history of phytoplankton blooms. The risks to human health from contact, ingestion or inhalation with marine algae that currently occur in UK coastal waters are considered to be low. However, some individuals may be more sensitive and display some reactions. A common marine algae found in UK coastal waters is Phaeocystis, which is often mistaken for sewage as it forms foam and a brown scum, but it is non-toxic.
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There are no active pollution risk forecasts made at this bathing water. However any bathing water has the potential to be affected by a pollution incident and if this occurs a pollution risk warning with associated advice against bathing will be issued on this website.
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2023 Bathing Water Profile for Bamburgh Castle
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2023-09-30
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2023-05-01
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There are no sewage treatment outfalls within the bathing beach. Since 2006, sewage from the Bamburgh area has been pumped to Seahouses Sewage Treatment Works for treatment.
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Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Bamburgh Castle for the four year (2019-2022) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not noted at this site. Litter was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 83% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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There are a number of caravan parks and isolated dwellings which are not on the main sewerage system and have private sewage treatment arrangements. The Environment Agency does not believe these are a source of pollution to the bathing water at present. If any concerns arise, the Environment Agency will investigate and request immediate remedial action from those responsible.
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The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is approximately 5.2 square kilometres. The catchment slopes gently throughout. The majority of the land in the catchment is agricultural with some mixed livestock and arable. The area immediately surrounding Bamburgh mainly consists of farm land with small developments and caravan parks.
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Bamburgh Castle
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Bamburgh Castle
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Sampling point at Bamburgh Castle
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418500
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55.610951487599735
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-1.707902922897897
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635300
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Sampling point at Bamburgh Castle
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p152 dT23 h59 m59 s
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2023 05 01 t00:00:00
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2023-05-01T00:00:00
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2023 09 30 t23:59:59
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2023-09-30T23:59:59
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2023 03700:1
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Seaweed (macroalgae) and phytoplankton (microscopic algae) are a natural part of the marine and freshwater environment. Below we note whether these have been recorded in quantities sufficient to be a nuisance.
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The majority of sewers in England are “combined sewers” and carry both sewage and surface water from roofs and drains. A storm overflow operates during heavy rainfall when the sewerage system becomes overwhelmed by the amount of surface water. The overflow prevents sewage from backing up pipes and flooding properties and gardens. An emergency overflow will only operate infrequently, for example due to pump failure or blockage in the sewerage system.
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Heavy rain falling on pavements and roads often flows into surface water drains or highway drains, ending up in local rivers and ultimately the sea. The quality of bathing water may be adversely affected as a result of such events.
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It is the Environment Agency role to drive improvement of water quality at bathing waters that are at risk of failing higher standards. It is natural for water to run off the land to the sea. Water quality at a bathing water is dependent upon the type and area of land (the catchment) draining to the water and the activities undertaken in that catchment.
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Discharges from sewage treatment works have improved substantially in England since the 1980s.
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