2024 Bathing Water Profile for Bognor Regis East
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The bathing water is a resort beach on the south coast in West Sussex, adjacent to the town of Bognor Regis. The beach is predominantly shingle with some sand exposed at low tide. A promenade sits above the beach and there is a pier to the west. The Aldingborne Rife crosses the beach at the eastern end of the bathing water.
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Arun District
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West Sussex
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Over the last several years, the Environment Agency have investigated the level of contamination from the surface water system that drains to the beach. Also, bacteriological tracer surveys showed that the bathing water can be affected by contaminated flows from the Aldingbourne Rife but this is unlikely to affect bathing water compliance.
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Within the vicinity of the beach there are 3 surface water outfalls namely Norfolk Street, York Road and Albert Road. Reduced water quality may persist in the area adjacent to the outfalls for some time after rainfall has occurred. There is also a storm overflow (The Esplanade storm overflow) that discharges into one of the surface water outfalls. There are two further storm overflows that discharge into the Aldingbourne Rife (Gloucester Road storm overflow and Bognor Main storm overflow). Discharges from these storm overflows occur when heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system but are designed not to affect bathing water compliance. There are further surface water drains over 500m to the west of the bathing water.
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Prior to 2001, treated sewage was discharged from Bognor long sea outfall (3 km from the bathing water). In 2001, flows from Bognor Long Sea Outfall were diverted to a new sewage treatment works at Ford for further treatment and then discharged out of Littlehampton Long Sea Outfall (11km from the bathing water). The Bognor outfall was retained solely for storm discharges. In 1998, improvements were made to several storm overflows that discharge into the surface water system. During 2010 to 2015, Southern Water were involved in a programme of investigations to identify causes of contamination to the surface water system that drains rainfall to the beach in Bognor Regis. Under the programme of works for Southern 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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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 72% 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 four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, phytoplankton (microscopic algae) was not noted at this site. 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, tide, wind 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 15 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 Bognor Regis East
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The Aldingbourne Rife inputs into the eastern end of the bathing water. Water quality is likely to be reduced in the adjacent area where the Rife enters the sea.
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There are two treated sewage treatment works outfalls that discharge into the Aldingbourne Rife. Lidsey sewage treatment works is 5km upstream from the bathing water and Tangmere sewage treatment works is 9km upstream. Both are designed to protect bathing water quality.
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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 Bognor Regis East 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 35% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The bathing water is situated in a low lying area. The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is approximately 9000 hectares. This includes the catchment of the Aldingbourne Rife that drains most of the wider surrounding area which is predominantly rural (arable and managed grassland). There are several surface water outfalls onto the beach which drain the urban area immediately behind the bathing water.
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Bognor Regis East
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Bognor Regis East
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Sampling point at Bognor Regis East
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493900
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50.78234219649502
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-0.669396152909609
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98930
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Sampling point at Bognor Regis East
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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 15680:1
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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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