Roan Head is a gently sloping, sandy beach with dunes behind and alongside the beach. The beach is remote and accessed via a National Trust conservation area.
In 1999, the Environment Agency carried out a study of the Duddon Estuary to assess discharges into the estuary that could impact on bathing water quality. This resulted in improvements at a number of locations in the estuary, which have improved bathing water quality.
In 2006, the Duddon Estuary was assessed under the Improving Coastal and Recreational Waters for All project, which aimed to tackle diffuse pollution from agriculture. This project looked mainly at the Haverigg bathing water which is to the north east of Roan Head across the estuary. However, actions taken on the Duddon Estuary have also improved bathing water quality at Roan Head.
In 2007 United Utilities, with the Environment Agency support, completed a study of the Duddon Estuary. The study found that Millom Sewage Treatment Works, the King Street Pumping Station, Broughton Sewage Treatment Works, as well as the River Duddon, can influence bathing water quality at Roan Head.
The Environment Agency recently introduced a DNA identification technique that helps to show whether sources of pollution are human or animal. In 2008 and 2009 this method was used at the three bathing waters in the Duddon Estuary. The results indicated that agricultural run off has a significant impact on bathing water quality in the estuary.
In 2010, the Environment Agency investigated the impact of high spring tides, which wash sheep droppings from the grazed salt marsh, to see if this could impact bathing water quality at Roan Head. This showed that water quality at Roan Head did decline as a result of wash off from grazed land.
The Environment Agency carried out studies of a toilet block located near the beach and three small streams that flow across the beach, to find out more about their possible effect on water quality. Whilst the Environment Agency found no impact from the toilet block the Environment Agency are investigating any impact from these streams on bathing water quality at Roan Head and working to resolve any issues the Environment Agency find.
In 2011, the Environment Agency surveyed streams and rivers in this area to identify sources of contamination. The Environment Agency will be following up the findings to improve bathing water quality. Between January and March 2012 the Environment Agency also surveyed surface water drains in this area to identify any sources of contamination. The Environment Agency are working with United Utilities, the local authority and householders to resolve any issues found during the survey.
Under the proposed future programme of work for United Utilities (from 2015 to 2020) all storm overflows close to bathing waters will have equipment installed to monitor spills to the environment. This will help to identify where bathing water improvements may be needed in the future.
There are a number of improvements planned to emergency and storm overflows that will improve bathing water quality. United Utilities are improving the storm overflow from Millom Sewage Treatment Works and the King Street Pumping Station by 2013 to improve bathing water quality. They are also improving the storm overflows from the Barrow-in-Furness Sewage Treatment Works by 2015 which will help protect bathing water quality.
Improvements to the Rampside Pumping Station (near Barrow-in-Furness) were completed in 2011.
Under the proposed future programme of work for United Utilities (from 2015 to 2020) all storm overflows close to bathing waters will have equipment installed to monitor spills to the environment. This will help to identify where bathing water improvements may be needed in the future.
A number of improvements have been made to outfalls to improve bathing water quality. In 1995 United Utilities improved the treatment provided at Barrow-in-Furness Sewage Treatment Works by building a new treatment plant and storm tanks to improve bathing water quality.
In 2000 they built a sewerage system on Walney Island to transfer sewage flows across to the sewage treatment works in Barrow-in-Furness where it receives improved treatment. The transfer removed a number of untreated outfalls to the Walney Channel improving bathing water quality. Barrow-in-Furness Sewage Treatment Works was further upgraded by United Utilities in 2004 to ensure that outputs are treated and disinfected, and to provide additional storage to reduce the number of storm overflows from the works. Improvements have also been made to five storm overflows in the Barrow area to protect bathing water quality.
In 1996 United Utilities made improvements to Millom Sewage Treatment Works situated to the north east of the Roan Head bathing water. These provided improved treatment and were followed in 2003 by improvements to ensure outputs are disinfected to protect bathing water quality.
To the north of Roan Head the disinfection treatment at Askam Sewage Treatment Works provided in 1996 was upgraded by United Utilities in 2003. Improvements were also made to the treatment of storm flows at the sewage treatment works and upstream within the sewer network. These improvements will have helped improve bathing water quality.
Soutergate Sewage Treatment Works was upgraded by United Utilities in 2003 to ensure the outputs are treated and disinfected, as well as improving the treatment of storm flows. This works lies to the north west of Roan Head bathing water. Four sewage discharges at Kirkby were transferred to Soutergate Sewage Treatment Works in 2003 to improve bathing water quality.
Two discharges in the Broughton area (Broughton-in-Furness Sewage Treatment Works and Skellow Crag Sewage Treatment Works) were upgraded to improve the sewage treatment and to improve treatment of storm flows. A further discharge at Foxfield was transferred to Broughton-in-Furness Sewage Treatment Works. Upgrades to the sewer network in Broughton were also made to protect bathing water quality. Storage for sewage flows was also provided at Willowside storm overflow at Haverigg to protect bathing water quality.
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.
Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) naturally increase in number at certain times of the year. This process is known as a phytoplankton bloom. This bathing water does not have a history of phytoplankton blooms.
There are several small streams that flow across the beach at Roan Head. We are investigating any impact from these streams on bathing water quality at Roan Head and working to resolve any issues the Environment Agency find. In the Duddon Estuary itself there are other streams and rivers, which during and after heavy rainfall can impact on bathing water quality at Roan Head.
The area surrounding the Duddon Estuary is largely agricultural with significant areas of land occupied by livestock. During and after periods of heavy rainfall run off from agricultural areas will be greatly increased, which could impact on bathing water quality at Roan Head.
Through the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative, a partnership between Natural England and the Environment Agency, a programme of work is being undertaken in the Duddon Estuary catchment focussing on reducing the impact on water quality from agriculture.
The Duddon Estuary also contains large areas of salt marsh which are grazed by livestock. Under heavy rainfall conditions or high tides run off from these areas could impact bathing water quality. The Environment Agency has carried out and is continuing investigations on the impact of salt marsh grazing in the area.
The bathing water is located on the south side of the Duddon estuary in south west Cumbria. The land in the catchment is mainly used for agriculture with numerous livestock farms. There are a few towns and hamlets close to Roan Head. Barrow-in-Furness is the largest and is around four kilometres away.
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.
The majority of sewers in England and Wales 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.
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.
It is the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales role to drive improvement of water quality at bathing waters that are at risk of failing European 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.