2024 Bathing Water Profile for Heacham
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Heacham North Beach is part of an extensive beach line which stretches north from the mudflats at Snettisham, up the eastern side of the Wash and along the Norfolk coast. Heacham is a popular Norfolk coastal holiday resort, with a largely sandy beach. It is one of the few beaches in Norfolk to face west. The majority of beach exposed at low tide is very gently shelving. Tidal movement stirs up sand and sediment in the sea and makes it look cloudy.
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King's Lynn and West Norfolk
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Norfolk
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The Environment Agency has worked with the water companies, universities, local authorities and other partners to investigate sources of contamination and to improve water quality in this area. This has included investigations into the impact Heacham’s urban area has on water quality as well as investigations into the movement of water in the Wash. The Environment Agency continue to work with others to manage ongoing issues and prevent future pollution. The Environment Agency can use a DNA tracing technique to identify whether sources of pollution are human or non-human. Analysis of samples taken between 2018 and 2022 by both the Environment Agency and Anglian Water show that faecal pollution is from multiple sources including: ‘Human’, ‘Avian’, ‘Canine’ and ‘Bovine’. The most significant presence has been found to be from sea birds; however, the DNA technique cannot yet be used to ‘source apportion’ and DNA markers are not yet available for all species (for example seals). Additional sampling continues to be undertaken by the Environment Agency to further understand the deterioration of water quality at this beach.
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There are no emergency or storm sewerage overflows at Heacham with the potential to affect the Heacham bathing water. There are long and short sea outfalls from a pumping station at Hunstanton that may affect the quality of Heacham Bathing water in the event of a spill continuing over many hours. 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 have worked with the Environment Agency over a long period to help make improvements to their sewerage infrastructure in and around Heacham. Improvements have been carried out to local pumping stations, surface water outfalls and leaking sewers. This is intended to reduce water company impacts upon the Heacham River and Heacham bathing waters. The Environment Agency will continue to work with Anglian Water to identify further areas for improvement to minimise the impacts of the sewerage infrastructure. Further investigations were undertaken by Anglian Water in 2021/2022 and the results showed the largest input of bacteria is from birds and secondly from the Heacham river.
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The Environment Agency continue to investigate surface water quality and identify any sources of reduced quality water which may affect the bathing water. Regular liaison meetings have been held throughout the bathing water season between the Environment Agency, local authority, Anglian Water and other stakeholders to discuss ongoing work and actions.
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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 67% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). Whilst seaweed (macro algae) is regularly recorded as present, it is not observed in large quantities on the beach and in the bathing water. However groynes and rocks, platforms or other fixed objects may develop a covering of seaweed which can be slippery.
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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 8% 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 36 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 Heacham
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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Additional monitoring continues to be carried out in the Heacham river to assess any potential impacts this watercourse may have on the Heacham bathing water.
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Heacham Sewage Treatment Works is located just south of Heacham (on Fenway) and discharges to a tributary of the Heacham river. Kings Lynn Sewage Treatment Works discharges to the Great Ouse estuary, approximately 14km southwest of Heacham. Improvements including UV disinfection were put in place at Heacham Sewage Treatment Works by Anglian Water in 1998. This has been effective in reducing bacteria numbers from the sewage works into the Heacham river system. Current data indicates that the UV treated effluent is present in some bathing water samples but is not contributing viable bacteria.
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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 Heacham 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 16% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The Environment Agency work with farmers to enhance farming practices, reduce run off from farmlands, and improve their understanding of pollution issues. The Environment Agency ongoing work includes giving advice on good farming practice as well as offering farm visits and surveys of the area to identify potential contamination risks. During 2023, full compliance visits to farms were undertaken. These checked compliance with the regulations including those on slurry and manure storage, planning and use of all fertilisers, checking livestock access to watercourses, as well as fuel oils, soil test results for nutrients and checks on fields that are next to rivers.
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Over the years, our investigations around Heacham have identified issues such as drainage misconnections (that can lead to sewage entering surface water drains) or have identified practices that could result in pollution to the Heacham River generally. The Environment Agency continue to work with caravan park owners, businesses, and private residents to ensure improvements are implemented where necessary.
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The Heacham river and its tributaries flow through a largely rural catchment before passing through the urban area of Heacham. Here there are several holiday home and caravan parks. Within the urban area there are a number of surface water drainage systems that enter the Heacham river. The river outflows to the sea 0.5km from the North beach. The Wash is the largest estuarine system in the UK. It is recognised as an internationally important site for waders and wildfowl under the Ramsar Convention, particularly in winter as well as during the spring and autumn migration, where it hosts hundreds of thousands of shorebirds. There is also a large population of gulls in the area, present all year round. The area is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA).
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Heacham
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Heacham
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Sampling point at Heacham
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566300
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52.90921846864188
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0.471523847450913
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337500
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Sampling point at Heacham
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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 09800:1
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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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