2024 Bathing Water Profile for Birling Gap
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Birling Gap is a small remote bay east of Beachy Head in East Sussex. The beach is approximately 300 metres (m) wide with a gentle slope. It is situated right below the backdrop of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs. The beach is predominantly shingle, but shallow sandflats and rocks from the chalk cliff become exposed with the receding tide.
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Wealden
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East Sussex
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In 1990 a long sea outfall was commissioned for the Newhaven and Seaford discharges. The outfall is located offshore approximately ten kilometres west of the bathing water. Flows from Lewes sewage treatment works were transferred to the long sea outfall prior to the 2000 bathing season. In 2001, Newhaven sewage treatment works was upgraded. Birling Gap bathing water was only designated in 1998.
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For the three year (2021-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 66% of visits. The shore can become covered with seaweed, depending on tides and the weather. Groynes, rocks and other fixed objects may have 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 three year (2021-2023) 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 7% 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.
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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 Birling Gap
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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Cuckmere River inputs 4 km to the west.
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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 Birling Gap for the three year (2021-2023) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not noted at this site. Litter was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 2% of visits, with 12% of visits noting the presence of litter. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is approximately 1600 hectares. The catchment includes hilly chalk downlands and the villages of Eastdean and Friston. The majority of the land in the catchment is rural with some livestock and a small amount of woodland. Since the chalk is porous, surface water will drain through it until it hits deeper layers of rock. The catchment map is based on the surface profile and therefore hypothetical. The direction of the runoff depends on deeper layers of rock.
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Birling Gap
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Birling Gap
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Sampling point at Birling Gap
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555367
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50.742579673737495
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0.200707746754768
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95973
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Sampling point at Birling Gap
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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 14550:1
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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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