2024 Bathing Water Profile for Bognor Regis (Aldwick)
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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 much of the beach and there is a pier to the east.
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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 surface water system that drains to the beach. The surface water drainage is suspected of being a significant source of contamination to the bathing water. The investigations have involved sampling the numerous surface water outfalls to the beach during wet weather events. Some of the samples were analysed using a DNA identification technique that helps to show whether sources of pollution are human or animal. This helped us to identify and resolve misconnections to the foul sewerage system.
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Within the vicinity of the beach there are 4 surface water outfalls namely Dark Lane, Silverston Avenue, Nyewood Lane and Victoria Road South. Reduced water quality may persist in the area adjacent to the outfalls for some time after rainfall has occurred. There are also 4 storm overflows (Aldwick Avenue storm overflow, Silverston Avenue storm overflow, Marine Drive storm overflow and Victoria Road storm overflow). Three of these storm overflows discharge into the surface water drains and one discharges out of a separate outfall to the beach. Discharges occur when heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system but are designed not to affect bathing water compliance. There are further surface water drains and storm overflows over a km away to the east and west.
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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) further 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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A partnership group including the Environment Agency, Arun District Council and Southern Water are working together to investigate and understand the risks to bathing water quality and put measures in place to make improvements.
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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 71% 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. Using the results from Southern Water’s sewer network investigations, the Environment Agency, Arun District Council and Southern Water have been identifying and rectifying misconnections within the Bognor catchment.
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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 16 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 (Aldwick)
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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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 (Aldwick) 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 34% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The bathing water is situated in a low lying area. There are no streams within the vicinity of the beach but there are several surface water outfalls which drain the urban area immediately behind the bathing water. The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment into the bathing water is approximately 230 hectares. The entrance to Pagham Harbour is situated 5 km to the southwest. The wider surrounding area is predominantly rural (arable and managed grassland) and most streams and drainage in this area either enters into the harbour or flows eastwards towards the Aldingbourne Rife 2.5km away.
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Bognor Regis (Aldwick)
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Bognor Regis (Aldwick)
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Sampling point at Bognor Regis (Aldwick)
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492360
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50.77923589764446
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-0.691328567556921
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98557
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Sampling point at Bognor Regis (Aldwick)
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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 15700:1
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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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