2024 Bathing Water Profile for Morecambe North
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Morecambe North bathing water is at the northern end of the town's promenade which has heavy sea defences for most of its length. The bathing water beach is split into several smaller beaches by large groynes.
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Lancaster
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Lancashire
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In 2007 United Utilities, with the Environment Agency support, completed a study of Morecambe Bay which found that St Nicholas Lane Pumping Station, Morecambe Sewage Treatment Works as well as the River Keer, River Kent and River Lune, to which Lancaster Sewage Treatment Works discharges, have an influence on the bathing water quality at Morecambe North. The Environment Agency is currently working with United Utilities to ensure the impact from these discharges are reduced. During 2008 the Environment Agency undertook “source to sea” sampling runs of the River Lune to assess its impact on bathing water quality. The study showed that the River Lune is relatively clean upstream of the urbanised areas around Lancaster and Morecambe with agriculture being the main influence. As the River Lune flows through the built up area of Lancaster and Morecambe its water quality is reduced and can impact on bathing water quality. In 2011 the Environment Agency surveyed the catchment around Morecambe South to identify sources of contamination. Where significant issues were found these have been investigated and improvements made where needed. Between January and March 2012 the Environment Agency surveyed surface water drains in the Morecambe area to identify any sources of contamination. The Environment Agency has worked with United Utilities, the local authority and householders to resolve any issues identified in the survey.
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Prior to the 2015 bathing season United Utilities completed a significant programme of improvements to ten storm and emergency overflows in the Lancaster city centre area to protect bathing water quality. To the north of Morecambe North at Bolton-le-Sands work to upgrade St Nicholas Lane Pumping Station to protect bathing water quality was completed in 2012. Across Morecambe Bay at Grange-over-Sands the Cart Lane Pumping Station was also upgraded in 2012 to protect bathing water. Through United Utilities' improvement programme from 2015 to 2020 improvements to Hagg Lane storm overflow and Schola Green Pumping Station were planned. The scheme at Hagg Lane which included the construction of a new underground storm tank to reduce sewer spills into the River Keer, was completed in 2017. Works to build two stormwater storage tanks and a new pumped sewer at Schola Green Pumping Station were completed in 2019 and the convertion of existing tanks to tidal storage at Morecambe WwTWs will be completed in 2020. Additionally the programme requires that storm overflows close to bathing waters have equipment installed to monitor spills to the environment. This will help to identify where bathing water improvements may be needed in the future. 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/ and via United Utilities website at http://www.unitedutilities.com/Bathing-Waters-Map.aspx.
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In 1997 United Utilities built a new sewage treatment works to the south of the bathing water to serve the Morecambe area. This provided improved sewage treatment and removed an untreated sewage outfall close to the bathing water. The sewage treatment works was further upgraded in 2003 when disinfection was added to the treatment process which also protects bathing water quality. In 2000 Lancaster Sewage Treatment Works was upgraded by United Utilities to provide improved treatment. Further improvements were made in 2002 to the storm sewage treatment and again in 2003 to provide disinfection of the discharge to protect bathing water quality. An upgrade was made at Carnforth Sewage Treatment Works to ensure the discharge was treated and disinfected to protect bathing water quality. Hest Bank Sewage Treatment Works has been closed and the flow transferred to Carnforth Sewage Treatment Works for treatment. Arnside Sewage Treatment Works has been closed and the flow transferred to Milnthorpe Sewage Treatment Works for treatment. These transfers ensure bathing water quality is protected. A number of storm and emergency overflows operated by United Utilities which can impact on bathing water quality have been upgraded. These include several outfalls in the Glasson area which discharged continuously that have been transferred to Lancaster Sewage Treatment Works, as well as several storm overflows on the Middleton Overton peninsula which have been upgraded.
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To help improve bathing water quality we are working alongside Local Authorities through a LOVEmyBEACH campaign. Further information can be found at http://lovemybeach.org/
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For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 78% of visits. 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. Between January and March 2012 the Environment Agency surveyed surface water catchments close to Morecambe South bathing water to identify any sources of contamination. This work led to the investigation of four surface water catchments for misconnections by United Utilities in 2014 and 2015. The Environment Agency have worked with United Utilities, the local authority and householders to resolve misconnection issues identified in the survey.
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For the four year (2020-2023) 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 1% of visits. 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. 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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This bathing water is subject to short term pollution procedures. The Environment Agency makes a daily pollution risk forecast at this site based on the effects of rain, wind and seasonality on bathing water quality. These factors affect the levels of bacteria that get washed into the sea from livestock, sewage and urban drainage via rivers and streams and how they disperse. When these factors combine to make short term pollution likely we issue a pollution risk warning on this website and the beach manager will display a sign advising against bathing at the bathing water. After a short term pollution event, levels of bacteria typically return to normal after a day or so but it's possible to have several warning days in a row. Details of the work to reduce the sources of bacteria at this bathing water are detailed in this profile. In 2023 33 pollution risk warnings were issued for this bathing water. All bathing waters have the potential to be affected by a pollution incident and if this occurs a pollution risk warning will be issued with associated advice against bathing on this website.
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2024 Bathing Water Profile for Morecambe North
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The River Lune to the south of the bathing water, which receives sewage treatment works discharges, storm water and emergency overflows, can impact on bathing water quality. To the north of Morecambe North, the River Keer can also impact on bathing water quality. Both of these rivers also receive agricultural run-off particularly following rainfall.
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There are a number of sewage treatment works in the Morecambe area which can impact on Morecambe South bathing water. These include the Morecambe, Lancaster and Carnforth Sewage Treatment Works.
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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 Morecambe North for the four year (2020-2023) 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 72% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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Morecambe North bathing water lies to the north of the River Lune and it's estuary. The Lune catchment is rural with significant areas of land used for agriculture. Catchment Sensitive Farming, delivered by Natural England in partnership with the Environment Agency, delivers practical solutions and targeted support to enable farmers and land managers to take voluntary action to reduce diffuse water pollution from agriculture to protect water bodies and the environment. Actions include a programme of educational events for farmers, advice to farmers and land managers, farm visits, and surveys of the area to identify pollution risks. Catchment Sensitive Farming, an advice-led project, delivering targeted advice to reduce water pollution is underway within the River Lune and Keer catchments. It enables farmers and land managers to take action to reduce the impact from farms on water quality.
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The ‘Call of Nature' campaign was run by Morecambe Bay Partnership with the support of the North West Catchment Partnerships, which resulted in the development of user friendly materials to educate private sewage treatment plant owners into maintenance requirement and ways to identify causes for concern. Materials were developed as printed documents but also available on the web and mobile friendly web page at http://www.callofnature.info/
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Morecambe North beach lies on the southern side of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire. The catchment inland from the bathing water is urban but the catchment changes to more agricultural land use further inland and up to the top of the catchment.
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Morecambe North
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Morecambe North
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Sampling point at Morecambe North
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343781
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54.07745445944751
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-2.860727733701429
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464956
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Sampling point at Morecambe North
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p152 dT23 h59 m59 s
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2024 05 01 t00:00:00
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2024-05-01T00:00:00
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2024 09 30 t23:59:59
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2024-09-30T23:59:59
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2024 43550:1
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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's 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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