2024 Bathing Water Profile for Southend Westcliff Bay
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Westcliff Beach is a long sandy/shingle beach in the centre of Southend-on Sea. It has a shallow profile and is backed by a long esplanade. At high water the sea level can flood over the entire beach and lap against the esplanade wall.
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Southend-on-Sea
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Essex
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The Environment Agency investigated the catchment in order to identify possible sources of pollution. Surveys were carried out between 2012 and 2019, including storm overflows, surface water outfalls & tidal surveys. The Environment Agency introduced a DNA tracing technique that helps us identify whether sources of faecal pollution are human or animal, the results of these investigations led to Anglian Water carrying out measures to reduce the likelihood and amount of storm sewage being discharged. The Environment Agency and Anglian Water are also jointly investigating misconnected foul drainage to surface water sewers in the catchment. This includes flow monitoring of the surface water outfalls. The results of these investigations will be used by Anglian Water to update their modelling of pollution sources. A partnership group has been created with Southend Borough Council, the Environment Agency & Anglian Water to investigate ways to improve the bathing water.
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This bathing water may be affected by discharges which can occur when heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system and causes diluted sewage to overflow. Within the wider catchment of the bathing water there are several storm and emergency overflows, including a storm discharge directly onto the bathing water beach. Improvements by Anglian Water to the local sewerage network has reduced the likelihood of a storm discharge, however during and after periods of rainfall these discharges could have an adverse affect on bathing water quality.
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The Environment Agency has worked with Anglian Water to investigate problems with the water quality of this bathing water. This led to improvements to storm overflows which Anglian Water completed in 1998. In 2005, further storm overflows were investigated, and improvements to the local sewer network were completed. Improvements to two storm overflows on Canvey Island, which were completed in 2009, may have improved water quality in Benfleet Creek and therefore potentially the water quality of the bathing water. Since 2013 both the Environment Agency and Anglian Water have undertaken monitoring of outfalls along the Southend coastline to assess their impact on bathing water quality. During 2015 to 2020, Anglian Water were involved in extensive work, and included modelling pollution sources, rectifying misconnections and increasing storm overflow capacity. The Environment Agency and AWS meet regularly to discuss operational issues, including those that may affect this bathing water.
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This bathing water catchment has a series of surface water outfalls that drain surface water from the surrounding area. The Environment Agency have undertaken regular inspection and sampling of surface water outfalls over the years and results have shown that the bathing water may be subject to reduced water quality after periods of rainfall. The misconnection of domestic foul sewers to surface water drainage can affect the water quality of rivers and the sea. If the Environment Agency continued investigations indicate that reduced water quality is caused by misconnected foul drainage the Environment Agency will work with the local authorities and AWS to investigate and rectify the problem.
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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 88% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). The bathing water has potential to become covered with seaweed, depending on tides and the weather. Groynes and rocks, platforms or other fixed objects may also 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) increase in number at certain times of the year. This process is known as a phytoplankton bloom. Blooms of phytoplankton can result in the water appearing discoloured or a foam forming on the water. 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 Southend Westcliff Bay
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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Westcliff Bay is close to Leigh Creek and Benfleet Creek, in the outer Thames Estuary. Improvements to two storm overflows on Canvey Island in 2009 may have improved water quality in Benfleet Creek. Therefore the impacts on bathing water quality from these creeks and from the River Thames estuary are not thought to be significant.
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Southend Sewage Treatment Work's (STW) long sea outfall is located five kilometres to the south of the bathing water so that bathing waters are protected.
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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 Southend Westcliff Bay 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 39% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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There are a small number of farms in the bathing water catchment, the majority of which are arable. Problems with bathing water quality in the Southend area are not believed to be linked to this sector and therefore no specific work with this sector has taken place.
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The immediate catchment of the beach includes the urban areas Southend-on-Sea and Leigh-on-Sea. The western end of the catchment includes Benfleet Creek and Leigh Creek. Land immediately surrounding these creeks is largely marshy grassland. The further surroundings of Benfleet Creek include areas of farmland and some residential areas of Canvey Island Town and Benfleet Town.
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Southend Westcliff Bay
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Southend Westcliff Bay
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Sampling point at Southend Westcliff Bay
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586450
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51.53536180804658
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0.686965498944973
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185250
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Sampling point at Southend Westcliff Bay
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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 11900:1
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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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