2024 Bathing Water Profile for Jaywick
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Jaywick is a small coastal village with large caravan parks to the west. The quiet and sandy beach has recently been extended with additional sand. The fish tailed and other rock groynes have significantly enhanced the beach.
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Tendring
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Essex
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A scheme to improve the bathing water quality at Clacton Martello beach should also improve the situation at the Jaywick bathing water.
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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 treatment works at Jaywick was improved in 2001 and this has helped protect bathing water quality An Anglian Water improvement scheme will be completed by March 2022.
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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 90% 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. Misconnections in the surface water system were identified following an extensive study by the water company. Some were corrected when they were found and consideration is being given to the best way to fix the others.
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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 Jaywick
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The Jaywick and St Osyth ditches flow out to the west of the beach. They run across the western end of the beach and may be a source of reduced water quality after periods of heavy rainfall.
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Jaywick Sewage Treatment Works discharges to the North Sea via a 500m outfall off the Martello Tower.
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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 Jaywick 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 81% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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Jaywick is within the Stour and Colne Catchment Sensitive Farming area. This is a partnership between Natural England and the Environment Agency. Its aim is to work with farmers to enhance farming practices and reduce run off from farmlands.
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The Tendring Peninsula is generally flat, rising to 30 metres above sea level. The area is predominantly rural apart from the coastal resorts. Agriculture in the catchment is mixed arable and livestock and there is no heavy industry. Much of the village is below high water level. St Osyth ditch and Jaywick ditch are near-by (to the west) and both flow through small rural catchments. The beach is backed by urban areas and grazing marshes, with arable farming further inland.
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Jaywick
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Jaywick
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Sampling point at Jaywick
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614850
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51.77262931380517
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1.112762317973562
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212800
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Sampling point at Jaywick
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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 11600:1
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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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