2024 Bathing Water Profile for Whitby
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Whitby Beach is a large beach resort situated on the Yorkshire coast. The sandy beach is approximately one kilometre in length with a gentle slope and lies to the west of Whitby Harbour. The beach is backed by a sea wall and promenade with beach huts and a cafe and higher up the cliff the urbanised areas of Whitby town.
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Scarborough District
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North Yorkshire
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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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The quality of the bathing water may sometimes be affected by storm, emergency and surface water outfalls. Storm overflows may operate during and after heavy rainfall. This is 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. There is one storm overflow that discharges directly into the bathing area. When strorm overflows operate, they discharge diluted and screened effluent into the sea and rivers and this may sometimes result in reduced water quality. 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 Whitby beach. This has resulted in major improvements in its quality.
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For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 2% of visits, with 33% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). 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 (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. TheEnvironment 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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2024 Bathing Water Profile for Whitby
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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Streams are typically affected by waste entering the watercourses from further up the catchment. Where the land is steep, water runs off following rainfall is much quicker then in flatter areas. This surface water often contains pollutants from agricultural and urban areas. This may sometimes result in reduced water quality.
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In 2001, Whitby Sewage Treatment Works was built to ensure all effluents are treated and disinfected to protect the bathing water quality. The sewage works outfall is located more than 700 metres east of the bathing water at the other side of Whitby harbour. Environment Agency research indicates that the effluent from this outfall does not impact on the water quality at the bathing water.
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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 Whitby 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 8% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The Yorkshire Bathing Water Partnership is working together to ensure Yorkshire's bathing beaches meet or go beyond the requirements of the revised 2015 Bathing Water Directive. The Partnership comprises the Environment Agency, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, North Yorkshire Council and Yorkshire Water. A tactical group comprising officers from all organisations meets on a regular basis to discuss issues, actions and potential resolutions at all our coastal bathing waters.
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The natural drainage catchment (hydrological catchment) is 8.6km2 in area and comprises a mixture of the urbanised West Cliff area of Whitby, arable and livestock farming, a golf course, several hotels and a caravan park.
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Whitby
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Whitby
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Sampling point at Whitby
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489191
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54.49170190701437
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-0.624582951581293
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511576
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Sampling point at Whitby
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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 07100:1
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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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