2024 Bathing Water Profile for Robin Hoods Bay
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Robin Hood's Bay Beach is a small rural beach situated on the north Yorkshire coast. It is approximately 200 metres in length and enclosed by rocks and rock pools which become exposed at low tide. Above the beach is the village of Robin Hood's Bay, which hosts a number of tourist establishments, shops, and food outlets, cottages and houses all packed tightly on the surrounding steep cliffs.
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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 are no storm overflows discharging directly into the bathing water. However, there are two outfalls near the bathing water. One is located to the north of the bathing water and a second discharges into King's Beck in the village. When these overflows operate, they discharge diluted and screened effluent into the sea and the stream which may sometimes result in reduced bathing 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 Robin Hood's Bay bathing beach.
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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 80% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). Environment Agency research suggests the bathing water may sometimes suffer from 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. The misconnection of domestic foul water to surface water drainage can affect the water quality of rivers and the sea. When we identify and locate significant misconnection issues we work with Yorkshire Water and North Yorkshire Council to rectify the problems.
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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 3% of visits. 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 and tide 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 15 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 Robin Hoods Bay
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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Streams are typically affected by run-off entering the watercourse further up the catchment. The steep landscape encourages water to run off land and into the streams very quickly. This may sometimes result in reduced water quality.
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In 2000, effluent from Robin Hood's Bay catchment was being transferred to Whitby Sewage Treatment Works to be treated and disinfected.
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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 Robin Hoods Bay 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 2% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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There are a number of farms within the Robin Hoods Bay catchment and following periods of heavy rainfall, runoff from agricultural areas can be greatly increased and may reduce water quality in the streams and at the bathing water. The Environment Agency provide advice to farmers on how to comply with regulations and good practice on farms to ensure that the impact of their activities on water quality is minimised.
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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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There are a number of private sewage treatment plants within the catchment and the Environment Agency continues to work with the owners to ensure that these are adequately maintained and do not impact on the water quality of the streams they discharge in to.
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An area of 14 square kilometres (known as the hydrological catchment) drains into the bathing water. Marnar Dale Beck merges with King's Beck at the bottom of the catchment and discharges on to the beach via a large culvert to the side of the slipway. Land use in the catchment is mainly agricultural and there are several caravan and camping sites. The two streams collect surface water from a steep catchment which, after prolonged or heavy rain, can quickly run off the land into the streams and result in reduced water quality at the bathing water.
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Robin Hoods Bay
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Robin Hoods Bay
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Sampling point at Robin Hoods Bay
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495339
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54.43015948260695
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-0.531866931933285
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504850
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Sampling point at Robin Hoods Bay
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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 07200:1
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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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