2024 Bathing Water Profile for Eastney
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The bathing water is situated in the southeast corner of Portsea Island which is part of the city of Portsmouth. The entire length of beach faces south across the Solent with views of the Isle of Wight to the west. The beach is predominantly shingle, interspersed with significant amounts of vegetation, with sand exposed at low water. A promenade sits above the beach with an urban backdrop. Part of the beach has been used by Naturists for decades.
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City of Portsmouth
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Hampshire
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There is a storm overflow (Fort Cumberland storm overflow) in the mouth of Langstone Harbour a kilometre to the east of the bathing water. Discharge from this storm overflow occurs when heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system but the overflow is designed not to affect bathing water compliance.
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Prior to 1993, Eastney long sea outfall was commissioned taking preliminary treated sewage to an outfall over 5km from the shore of the bathing water. In 2001, sewage was transferred to Budds Farm sewage treatment works in Langstone Harbour for treatment and then all treated sewage was transferred back to discharge out of the Eastney long sea outfall. A new pumping station is recently been constructed that acts as a back-up facility to the existing station that pumps sewage out the long sea outfall. This will help prevent the existing pumps being overridden, requiring emergency sewage pumping arrangements, in heavy storm and flooding events. This previously occurred in 2000 and 2006.
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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 53% of visits. This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed.
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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. 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 Eastney
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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There is a high standard of treatment at the sewage treatment works outfall 5.5 km from the shore of this bathing water which is 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 Eastney 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 assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 2% of visits, with 86% of visits noting the presence of litter. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The bathing water is situated in a low lying area at the southeast corner of Portsea Island which is part of the city of Portsmouth. The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is approximately 65 hectares. There are no streams within the beach area but the mouth of Langstone Harbour is situated only a kilometre to the east. Population density of the surrounding area is high and catchment drainage will be predominantly urban.
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Eastney
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Eastney
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Sampling point at Eastney
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467410
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50.78461852703445
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-1.045119146890172
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98774
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Sampling point at Eastney
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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 16500:1
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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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