2019 Bathing Water Profile for Cowes
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To the west of the town, Cowes beach is mostly gravel and slopes into deep water with strong currents. At high tide there can be little beach left. Along the Esplanade there are shops, refreshments and public toilets. Egypt Point is particularly favoured by anglers.
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Isle of Wight
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Isle of Wight
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High results in 2005 were investigated and found to be caused by a broken road drain that damaged an adjacent sewer, which overflowed to the beach,
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This bathing water is affected by a discharge at Queens Road storm overflow and Esplanade storm overflow that occur when heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system and causes diluted sewage to overflow. South of the Royal Yacht Squadron in the Medina estuary there a number of other storm overflows. There is also a frequent storm overflow 2km away in deep water offshore from East Cowes. These outfalls can discharge when heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system but they are designed to ensure that bathing water compliance is not affected.
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In 2002 flows from the Cowes long sea outfall were diverted to Sandown sewage treatment works. Cowes long sea outfall was retained as a storm overflow. Flows from Woodvale long sea outfall were also diverted to Sandown sewage treatment works prior to the 2001 bathing season. Improvements to 13 storm overflows in the Medina estuary and Cowes area were completed during 2003-2004.
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For the four year (2015-2018) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 85% 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 (2015-2018) 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.
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This bathing water is subject to short term pollution. Short term pollution is caused when heavy rainfall or high tides wash faecal material into the sea from livestock, sewage and urban drainage via rivers and streams. At this site the risk of encountering reduced water quality increases after rainfall and typically returns to normal after 1-3 days. The Environment Agency makes daily pollution risk forecasts based on rainfall and tidal patterns and will issue a pollution risk warning if high tides or heavy rainfall occurs to enable bathers to avoid periods of increased risk. The Environment Agency works to reduce the sources of this pollution through pollution prevention measures, work with agriculture and water companies. 4 warnings advising against swimming due to an increase risk of short term pollution were issued in 2018 for Cowes bathing water. These warnings were issued because of the effects of heavy rain on the water quality.
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2019 Bathing Water Profile for Cowes
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2019-09-30
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2019-05-01
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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 Cowes for the four year (2015-2018) 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 58% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is about 70 hectares. The land in the catchment is a mix of grassland (typically playing fields and a golf course), woods and urban areas. Water from the Medina estuary can also influence the beach.
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Cowes
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Cowes
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Sampling point at Cowes
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448800
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50.76783127759815
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-1.309363422153536
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96700
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Sampling point at Cowes
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p152 dT23 h59 m59 s
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2019 05 01 t00:00:00
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2019-05-01T00:00:00
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2019 09 30 t23:59:59
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2019-09-30T23:59:59
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2019 17800:1
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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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