2024 Bathing Water Profile for Hunstanton Main Beach
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Hunstanton is a popular Norfolk coastal holiday resort with a largely sandy beach and is one of the few beaches in Norfolk to face west. The tide retreats to expose a wide sandy beach, with some stones and rock pools near the red and white striped cliffs at the north end. 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. The beach is backed by a promenade and the town.
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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 company, local authority and other partners to investigate sources of contamination and improve water quality in this area. This has included investigations into the impact Hunstanton’s urban area has on water quality, as well as investigations into the movement of water in the Wash. Source apportionment and tracer studies undertaken by Anglian Water in 2017 confirmed the link between the surface water sewerage system and the bathing water. Work with Anglian Water on improving contamination from surface water will continue. The Environment Agency are using a DNA tracing technique which will identify whether sources of pollution are human or non-human. Using this technique, alongside mud sampling, investigations between 2019 – 2023 indicated that contamination by seabirds was evident at the beach, however, the DNA technique cannot yet be used to ‘source apportion’ and DNA markers are not yet available for all species (for example seals). The Environment Agency continue to work with others to manage ongoing issues and prevent future pollution.
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There is a long and short sea outfall close to Hunstanton Main bathing water. These outfalls discharge emergency and storm sewerage, as well as trade effluent. 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 Hunstanton. Improvements have been carried out to storm, emergency and surface water outfalls and leaking sewers. The Environment Agency will continue to work with Anglian Water to identify further areas for improvement. Storm sewage storage capacity at Hunstanton short sea outfall was increased in 1998, to protect the quality of the bathing water. Further investigations were undertaken by Anglian Water which were completed in September 2022 and the results suggest that water quality can be affected by birds feeding on mudflats and overflows within the catchment.
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The Environment Agency are continuing to investigate surface water quality and identify any sources of poor quality water which may affect the bathing water. Due consideration is to be given to the potential impact of birds which roost on roofs close to 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 53% 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. Drainage from Hunstanton town can affect this Bathing Water. An investigation by Anglian Water to investigate pollution sources from surface water sewers and misconnections contributing to the deterioration of Hunstanton bathing waters, showed limited evidence of misconnections. A likely source of bacteria is bird guano and dog fouling.
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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 9% 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 24 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 Hunstanton Main Beach
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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There are no rivers or streams close to the beach. The Heacham River discharges into the sea at Heacham South Beach, approximately 3.8 km south of Hunstanton Main Beach. The Environment Agency continue to work with Anglian Water, the Local Authority, the farming community and private owners, to investigate sources of contamination and improve the water quality within the river (see profile for Heacham bathing water for further information on the Heacham river). There is a small, culverted watercourse outfall south of Hunstanton boat ramp, approximately 0.5 km from the main beach. Work continues to improve the water quality of this watercourse and assess any impact it has on bathing water quality.
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There are no Sewage Treatment Works in Hunstanton itself. The closest Sewage Treatment Works is in neighbouring Heacham, which discharges to a tributary of the Heacham river. Improvements including Ultraviolet disinfection were put in place at Heacham Sewage Treatment Works by Anglian Water in 1998. Heacham Sewage Treatment Works is unlikely to affect the quality of Hunstanton Main bathing water, and work continues to ensure that this remains the case.
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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 Hunstanton Main Beach 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 36% 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 risks.
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Over the years, our investigations around Hunstanton 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 bathing water generally. The Environment Agency have worked with caravan park owners, businesses, and private residents to ensure improvements are put in place where necessary. In 2011, the Environment Agency worked with a business owner at Hunstanton to install UV treatments which will improve the quality of the water discharging into the sea.
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There are no rivers or streams close to the beach. Rainwater falling onto car parks and other hard surfaces may drain onto the beach. The beach is surrounded by urban areas. 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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Hunstanton Main Beach
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Hunstanton Main Beach
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Sampling point at Hunstanton Main Beach
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567020
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52.93683650219976
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0.48381224712594
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340600
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Sampling point at Hunstanton Main Beach
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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 09850:1
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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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