2024 Bathing Water Profile for Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier)
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Lowestoft's beach north of Claremont Pier is a wide gently sloping sandy beach backed by the promenade and Victorian gardens.
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East Suffolk District
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Suffolk
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The Environment Agency has worked closely with the water companies, local authorities and others to investigate any sources of contamination and to improve water quality. This has included investigations into reduced water quality and the identification of sewerage infrastructure improvements. The Environment Agency is working with Anglian Water to understand the reasons behind the recent deterioration in bathing water quality.
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A number of storm sewage and emergency discharges outfall to Lake Lothing. There are no outfalls near to the beach that discharge directly to the sea. Improvements have been carried out to a number of the discharges in recent years and further upgrades are due for completion by March 2023. 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 Lowestoft. This has contributed towards improvements in bathing water quality. Lowestoft long sea outfall was upgraded by Anglian Water in 1998. Further improvements were put in place at Lowestoft Sewage treatment works in 2001 which has helped to protect the quality of the bathing water. Source apportionment and tracer surveys undertaken in 2017 indicate that outfalls discharging to the harbour area could be contributing to the recent deterioration of bathing water quality at the beach. Anglian Water are making improvements to their sewerage network to reduce the impact on the bathing waters.
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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 43% of visits. 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 2% 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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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 Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier)
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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There are no streams or rivers that affect this bathing water. The quality of Lake Lothing may deteriorate after period of rainfall and this may persist for a while. However, due to the tidal currents this is most unlikely to affect bathing water quality at the beach.
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Lowestoft Sewage treatment works discharges to the North Sea a kilometre from Ness Point. Improvements were put in place at the works in 2001 to protect the quality of the bathing water. Due to the location of the outfall, the sewage effluent discharge does not affect bathing water compliance.
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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 Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier) 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 57% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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Historically, Lowestoft was home to the North Sea herring fleet, but fishing is only now a minor employer in the town. Lowestoft harbour and Lake Lothing are to the north of the beach and these areas now serve the offshore oil, gas and wind farm industries. Lake Lothing is open to the sea and has little freshwater input. The beach is close to the town and many hotels and B&Bs. There is a surface water outfall to the North Sea near to the beach but it contains highway drainage only.
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Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier)
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Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier)
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Sampling point at Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier)
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654718
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52.46832115480514
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1.748783678636152
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292204
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Sampling point at Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier)
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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 10750:1
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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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