2023 Bathing Water Profile for Bridlington South Beach
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Bridlington South Beach is a large beach resort situated on the Yorkshire coast. It is 1.5 kilometres in length with a gentle slope. At low tide a large area of the beach is exposed, and the water's edge can be some distance away. The southern end of the beach adjoins Wilsthorpe Beach. The seafront is backed by a promenade and tourist establishments and behind this residential properties and the town of Bridlington. The Gypsey Race, the stream that runs through the centre of Bridlington, drains into Bridlington Harbour, a commercial harbour. The harbour entrance is to the north of Bridlington South bathing beach.
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East Riding of Yorkshire
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East Riding of Yorks
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The Environment Agency regularly carry out investigations to identify sources of pollution in catchments by monitoring the quality of streams, undertaking site inspections and providing advice on compliance with regulations and good practice as appropriate. Since 2018 the Environment Agency has undertaken water quality investigations in the Gypsey Race, Bridlington Harbour and Bridlington Bay to try and identify sources bacteria which may be impacting on water quality at Bridlington South beach. During the summer of 2020 monitoring work was also undertaken to complement a Yorkshire Water project aiming to look to develop a water quality prediction model for both Scarborough South and Bridlington South. Over the summer of 2020, 60 days of intensive monitoring was carried out at the Bridlington South compliance point. In conjunction with this detailed meteorological data and Yorkshire Water asset operational information was also collected with the Environment Agency providing both water quality information via a Sonde (continuous water quality monitor) placed in the Gypsey Race and water quantity information in the form of detailed hydrological (river flow and levels and rainfall) for the catchment.
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Bathing water quality may sometimes be affected by storm, emergency and surface water outfalls. Storm overflows may operate during and following periods of heavy rainfall when the sewer system can become overwhelmed by the amount of surface water entering it. The overflows prevent sewage from backing up pipes and flooding properties. Yorkshire Water designed a new scheme to reduce the amount of storm effluent being discharged into the bathing water and the North Sea. There is one emergency overflow that discharges effluent into the bathing water. There is also a new long-sea outfall that intercepts storm effluents which previously discharged into the Gypsey Race. The scheme including the connection and operation of the new long-sea outfall was completed in December 2014 with the aim of improving bathing water quality at Bridlington North and South Bays. There are two further storm overflows in the North Bay. When these outfalls are operating they discharge diluted and screened effluent into the North Sea. While the operation of these outfalls can still result in a decline in the bathing water quality, the impacts are likely to be much less compared to previous years. Yorkshire Water is one of the organisations involved in the Yorkshire Bathing Water Partnership. The partnership is working together to ensure Yorkshire's bathing beaches meet or go beyond the requirements of the revised Bathing Water Directive in 2015. The Environment Agency, Scarborough Borough Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, North Yorkshire County Council and other interested parties are also involved in the partnership. 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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Since 1998, the Environment Agency have worked closely with Yorkshire Water to identify and deliver significant investment in the sewerage infrastructure around Bridlington South Beach.
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For the four year (2019-2022) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 24% of visits. Environment Agency research suggests the bathing water is not subject to an excess 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 noted at this site. Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) naturally increase in number at certain times of the year. This process is known as a phytoplankton bloom. The 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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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, tide, sunlight 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 2022 2 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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2023 Bathing Water Profile for Bridlington South Beach
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2023-09-30
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2023-05-01
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A step change improvement in water quality was identified in 2014, at Bridlington South Beach, due to improvements made to water company assets. Any monitoring samples collected prior to this date is not used for classification of bathing water quality.
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Streams are typically affected by sewage or surface water runoff from urban areas and livestock farming. The Gypsey Race drains into Bridlington Harbour which is situated between Bridlington North and Bridlington South beaches. Following heavy rain the Gypsey Race may sometimes have reduced water quality.
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Bridlington Sewage Treatment Works was built in 2000 to ensure all effluents are treated and disinfected to protect the bathing water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into the sea via a long sea outfall which allows better dilution of pollutants in the water and reduces the impact of treated effluent on bathing water quality.
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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 Bridlington South Beach 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 33% of visits. Tarry residue was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 63% of visits.
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The Gypsey Race catchment is largely agricultural. Part of the Environment Agency role is to work with farmers to reduce the effects of farming on water quality. The Environment Agency provide advice to farmers on how to comply with regulations and good practice on farms to ensure pollution entering watercourses is minimised.
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There is a treated trade discharge that enters the sea via a near-shore outfall pipe, located approximately 2.5 kilometres to the north of the bathing area at Bridlington South Beach. Significant improvements have been made to the treatment process in recent years, and the discharge is not thought to affect the designated bathing areas within the bay. The Environment Agency continue to monitor effluent quality along with surface water quality in the catchment.
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The Gypsey Race, a chalk stream which is predominantly groundwater fed has a hydrological catchment area of 26.6 square kilometres which is mostly agricultural land dominated by arable farming. As it enters Bridlington it passes through a large recreational area on the outskirts prior to passing through a residential then commercial area before draining into Bridlington Harbour. The harbour is known to have connectivity with Bridlington North bathing water, and there may be indirect connectivity with Bridlington South bathing water under certain conditions.
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Bridlington South Beach
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Bridlington South Beach
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Sampling point at Bridlington South Beach
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517948
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54.077228774938455
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-0.198758284289504
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466087
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Sampling point at Bridlington South Beach
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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 08100:1
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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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