2024 Bathing Water Profile for Leigh Bell Wharf
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Leigh Bell Wharf beach is a small sandy beach in the old town of Leigh-on-Sea, just to the west of Southend-on-Sea. It is next to a busy boat yard at the mouth of Leigh Creek.
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Southend-on-Sea
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Essex
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The Environment Agency investigated the Leigh Bell Wharf 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. Since 2012, we have been using this method at Leigh Bell Wharf . 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 storm discharges directly onto the bathing water beach. Improvements by Anglian Water to the local sewerage network has reduced the likelihood of storm discharges, however during and after periods of rainfall these discharges could have an adverse affect on bathing water quality. 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 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. 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. Under the programme of works for Anglian Water (from 2020 to 2022) investigations within the catchment were carried out. This will help to identify where bathing water improvements may be needed in the future.
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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 has 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. A partnership group between the Environment Agency, Southend Borough Council and Anglian Water has been formed. The aim of the partnership is to work together to better understand risks to bathing water quality and put measures in place to make improvements.
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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 3% of visits, with 96% 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. Anglian Water have been identifying and rectifying misconnections within the Leigh Bell Wharf catchment.
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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) 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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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, wind, sunlight 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 5 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 Leigh Bell Wharf
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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Leigh Bell Wharf may be affected by Leigh Creek and Benfleet Creek. Anglian Water made improvements to two storm overflows on Canvey Island in 2009. This may have improved water quality in Benfleet Creek. Impacts from the wider 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 Leigh Bell Wharf 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 assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 2% of visits, with 81% of visits noting the presence of litter. 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 farming practices and therefore no specific work with this sector has taken place.
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Immediately to the north and east of the beach are the large urban areas of Leigh-on-Sea and Southend-on-Sea. The watercourses Leigh Creek and Benfleet Creek enter from the west of the catchment. Land immediately surrounding these creeks is mainly 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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Leigh Bell Wharf
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Leigh Bell Wharf
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Sampling point at Leigh Bell Wharf
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584050
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51.539022887876975
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0.652567904722018
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185570
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Sampling point at Leigh Bell Wharf
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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 11904:1
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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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