2024 Bathing Water Profile for Hunstanton (Old Hunstanton)
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Hunstanton is a popular Norfolk coastal holiday resort. The Old Hunstanton beach is at the north end just outside of the town and is a quiet rural beach. The wide sandy beach has a row of colourful beach huts just behind the sand dunes.
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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 Hunstanton’s urban area has on water quality as well as investigations into the movement of water in the Wash. The Environment Agency also continue to work with others to manage ongoing issues and prevent future pollution. The Environment Agency can use a DNA tracing technique which will improve the Environment Agency's ability to identify whether sources of pollution are human or non-human. Using this technique, the investigations in 2019 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). Tidal states appear to influence water quality. The currents in the Wash and movement of sandbars might also be playing a part, together with where the bathing water sits in relation to the Wash. The Environment Agency is now undertaking further investigations and sample analysis following the deterioration in water quality at this bathing water in 2022.
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There is a long and short sea outfall are approximately 2.7 km away, at Hunstanton. These outfalls discharge emergency and storm sewage, as well as trade effluent. Further investigations into these outfalls are ongoing to ensure that they do not affect the bathing water quality at Old Hunstanton. A consented overflow discharges to the east of Old Hunstanton near Thornham, but tracer studies have shown minimal connectivity to the bathing water. 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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The Environment Agency and Anglian Water have worked closely together to identify and deliver significant investment in the sewerage infrastructure around this bathing water, which has resulted in major improvements in its water quality. Improvements have been carried out to storm, emergency and surface water outfalls and leaking sewers. This has been focused mainly within the town, as contaminated water entering the sea at that location has the potential to affect Old Hunstanton beach. Investigations include using CCTV to identify any problems with the sewerage system. Further investigations were undertaken by Anglian Water which were completed in September 2022, and the results suggest no dominant source of bacteria, but water quality can be affected by birds 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. 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 not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 70% of visits. This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae). 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 6% 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 12 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 (Old Hunstanton)
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The Heacham River discharges out into the sea at Heacham South Beach, approximately 6 km south of Old Hunstanton. This river is unlikely to affect water quality at Old Hunstanton beach. There is a small, culverted watercourse outfall approximately 3 km south of Old Hunstanton bathing water. Work continues to improve the water quality of this watercourse and assess its impacts on this bathing water.
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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 Ultra Violet 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. Heacham Sewage Treatment Works is unlikely to affect the quality of Old Hunstanton 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 Hunstanton (Old Hunstanton) 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 2% of visits. Litter was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 55% 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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Our investigations around Old Hunstanton have not identified any obvious issues. However, problems such as drainage misconnections (that can lead to sewage entering surface water drains) or practices that could result in pollution have, in the past, been identified in the town of Hunstanton itself. Discharges at Hunstanton Main could affect Old Hunstanton Bathing Water. 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 Main 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. This is a sandy beach backed by dunes and cliffs. There are no rivers or streams close to the beach. This is a sandy beach backed by dunes and cliffs. 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 (Old Hunstanton)
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Hunstanton (Old Hunstanton)
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Sampling point at Hunstanton (Old Hunstanton)
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567800
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52.95365719192685
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0.496388660943862
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342500
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Sampling point at Hunstanton (Old Hunstanton)
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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 09900:1
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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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