Brighton and Hove is a large resort situated on the Sussex coast of the English Channel. Brighton Central beach is west of Brighton Pier. The gravel slopes steeply at first but levels off with more sand towards low water. Behind the beach there is the bustling Brighton promenade with many resort facilities.
This bathing water could be affected by a discharge from the Albion storm overflow that can occur when heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system. This outfall is designed to protect bathing water compliance. Brighton and Hove has Europe's largest storm water storage tunnel, 4.8km long, 6m in diameter and 30m below ground which is designed to restrict storm overflows from these outfalls to a frequency of 1 in 50 years.
The Newhaven Seaford long sea outfall was commissioned in 1991, and Shoreham and Worthing long sea outfalls in 1996. Treated sewage from Brighton and Hove is discharged from the 1.8km Brighton Portobello outfall, to the east of the bathing water. In 1998 a tunnel was constructed under Brighton and Hove beach to intercept and store storm water prior to treatment. Treatment was installed at Newhaven prior to 2001 and at Shoreham sewage treatment works and Worthing sewage treatment works prior to the 2002 bathing season.
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 31% of visits. This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed.
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.
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. Microscopic algae (phytoplankton) 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.
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.
Along this section of coastline there are a number of treated sewage treatment works (Newhaven, Shoreham, Worthing) all with long sea outfalls designed to protect bathing water compliance. The treated 1.8km outfall at Portobello was replaced by the 2.5km Peacehaven outfall (built in 2010 to serve the new Brighton and Hove sewage treatment works, and was comissioned in 2012). These outfalls are designed to protect bathing water compliance.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Brighton Central 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 33% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is about 6555 hectares, but because of the porous chalk geology there are no surface water courses. The upper catchment includes the Downs and the rest the majority of Brighton. The adjacent Brighton Kemptown bathing water shares the same catchment.
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.
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.
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.
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.