2024 Bathing Water Profile for Humberston Fitties
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Humberston Fitties beach is wide and sandy and backed by dunes. There are caravan parks nearby.
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North East Lincolnshire
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N E Lincolnshire
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The Environment Agency works with the water companies, local authorities and others to investigate any sources of contamination and to improve water quality at local bathing waters.
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There are storm and emergency outfalls that discharge to the sea, Buck Beck and the Louth Canal. These are designed to operate only during emergencies or heavy rainfall to prevent properties from being flooded by sewage. 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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Anglian Water has worked with the Environment Agency over a long period to help make improvements to their sewerage infrastructure near Humberston Fitties. Significant improvements have been carried out to Sewage Treatment Works, the pumping stations and sewage infrastructure. This has contributed towards major improvements in bathing water quality in the area.
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The Environment Agency works with North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) to identify and rectify potential issues which may effect the bathing water. NELC promotes sustainable tourism, and is involved in a number of campaigns to raise awareness and to reduce contamination from pollution, litter and dog fouling.
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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 62% of visits. This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae). The beach is sandy.
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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 (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 2% 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, tide, 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 3 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 Humberston Fitties
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The Buck Beck and Louth Canal flow into the sea close to Humberston Fitties bathing water. These rivers will receive run off from both urban and rural areas, which may have the potential to reduce bathing water quality. The Environment Agency works to improve water quality in rivers and reduce potential sources of pollution.
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There are two large Sewage Treatment Works nearby: Newton Marsh sewage treatment works, serving Cleethorpes town was fitted with ultra violet disinfection in 1995. This works discharges to Tetney Haven, to the the south of the bathing water. Pyewipe (Grimsby) Sewage Treatment Works, to the north was improved by Anglian Water in 2001 to protect the bathing water quality of the area, and discharges via a long sea outfall. The treated sewage from these works is not believed to impact bathing water compliance.
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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 Humberston Fitties for the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 1% of visits. Litter was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 89% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The Environment Agency works with farmers to promote best practice and reduce potential sources of contamination. Part of the catchment area around Humberston Fitties is within a Catchment Sensitive Farming Medium Priority area. Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) is a partnership between Defra, the Environment Agency and Natural England. It works with farmers to reduce water pollution from agriculture.
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The Environment Agency regulate industry near by such as oil terminals, intensive agriculture and food processing businesses.
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The Environment Agency works with large caravan park operators, and other local businesses to provide advice and guidance on best practice.
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The Buck Beck outflows to the sea just to the north of the beach and the Louth Canal outflows to Tetney Haven to the South of the beach. Both flow through urban and rural areas before reaching the sea. Close to the beach are caravan parks, and the residential area of Humberston is to the North West of the beach
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Humberston Fitties
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Humberston Fitties
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Sampling point at Humberston Fitties
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533204
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53.53521627679113
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0.008374419031881
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406158
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Sampling point at Humberston Fitties
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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 09020:1
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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 role of the Environment Agency 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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