2024 Bathing Water Profile for Brightlingsea
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Brightlingsea is an ancient maritime town (Cinque Port). The beach is restricted and consists of gravel, sand and mud. The beach is backed by a promenade and colourful beach huts. There is little beach at high tide.
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Tendring
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Essex
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Improvements have been carried out to storm, emergency and surface water outfalls The sewerage system has been upgraded to eliminate seven combined storm overflows, improve others and construct a new one. This was completed in 1997. The town's main sewage pumping station has a storm and emergency outfall into the borrow dyke and could be a source of reduced water quality during heavy rainfall. 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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For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 81% of visits, with 17% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). 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 Brightlingsea
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The bathing water is situated on the Colne Estuary at the confluence with Brightlingsea Creek. The quality can be affected by human or industrial inputs further up the catchment.
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Brighlingsea Sewage Treatment Works discharges to the Colne estuary 2.5 km to the north and does not impact upon bathing water quality. Brightlingsea and Colchester Sewage Treatment Works had further upgrades in 2013 when disinfection was added. This was put in place to protect Shellfish waters but also protects the quality of the 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 Brightlingsea 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 44% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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Brightlingsea 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 beach is at the bottom of the Colne estuary which drains a large part of central Essex. Nearby is Brightlingsea Creek which remains part navigable for commercial shipping. Both these rivers are famous for their historic oyster fisheries.
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Brightlingsea
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Brightlingsea
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Sampling point at Brightlingsea
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607647
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51.80571083466384
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1.01053773140046
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216182
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Sampling point at Brightlingsea
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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 11700:1
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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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