2024 Bathing Water Profile for East Runton
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East Runton beach is a rural beach with cliffs and a rocky foreshore. At low tide there is an expanse of sand. The village is a short walk away. Fossils of mammals such as deer, horses and mammoth, have been found in the cliffs at this beach.
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North Norfolk District
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Norfolk
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No actions specific to this bathing water have been identified. However, actions to improve water quality at other bathing waters nearby will also have improved the quality of this bathing water. The Environment Agency works with the water companies, local authorities and others to investigate any sources of contamination and to improve water quality at bathing waters.
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A sewer discharge at the base of the cliff, to the west of the slipway, will operate if heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system 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 improve the sewerage infrastructure around this bathing water. The long sea outfall at West Runton was commissioned in 1995 and replaced short sea outfalls at Cromer, Sheringham, West Runton, East Runton and Overstrand.
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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 61% 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.
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For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, phytoplankton (microscopic algae) was not noted at this site. 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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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 East Runton
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The stream which flows across the beach can be a source of reduced water quality after heavy rainfall. Local village ponds, which are home to a large population of ducks and geese, overflow to the stream and may have a small effect on water quality. During periods of rainfall excess water from road surfaces may drain into the stream.
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The sewage treatment works serving this catchment was upgraded in 2001 to protect the bathing water quality of the area. This sewage works discharges to the North Sea via a 2km long sea outfall off West Runton and does not affect compliance at this 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 East Runton 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 14% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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East Runton is a holiday village set in a rural catchment with a number of caravan parks on the top of the cliffs overlooking the beach.
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East Runton
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East Runton
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Sampling point at East Runton
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620242
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52.93708002216914
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1.275985967187263
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342763
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Sampling point at East Runton
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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 10150:1
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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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