2024 Bathing Water Profile for Folkestone
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Folkestone bathing water is a resort beach in Kent. It is situated at the northern edge of Hythe Bay, which stretches from Folkestone down to the headland of Dungeness. The beach is of fine sand mixed with occasional gravel. It is only 200 metres wide and enclosed in a small bay with chalk cliffs in the east and a breakwater in the west. Adjacent to the breakwater is a small harbour. The bay is backed by a promenade and rocky cliffs.
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Folkestone and Hythe District
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Kent
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The Stade storm overflow and Folkestone Junction storm overflow discharge via a outfall pipe approximately 700 metres offshore into Folkestone Bay. There is also another storm overflow approximately 580m east of the bathing water. Discharges occur when heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system and causes diluted sewage to overflow.
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Folkestone bathing water historically suffered frequent failures of bathing water standards. Exceedances were due to crude discharges from Copt Point and storm discharges from the Stade storm overflow. Water quality improved significantly since the effluent from the Copt Point outfall was transferred to a new long sea outfall at Dover in 1999. Copt Point is now emergency outfall only. The storm tanks at the Stade storm overflow were extended in 2000. Treatment at Dover/Folkestone sewage treatment works was introduced at the same time. Further treatment was installed in 2003.
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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 51% 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 assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 4% 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 Folkestone
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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Pent Stream inputs into Folkestone Bay to the west of the bathing water. This stream has an urban catchment. During periods of heavy rainfall, diffuse urban pollution may have an adverse effect on bathing water quality.
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Dover/Folkestone sewage treatment works discharges via a long sea outfall offshore from Dover.
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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 Folkestone 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 57% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The drainage catchment surrounding the bathing water comprises approximately 1000 hectares. Pent Stream runs through the urban area of Folkestone and drains into Folkestone Bay to the west of the bathing water.
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Folkestone
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Folkestone
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Sampling point at Folkestone
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623615
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51.08196357311625
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1.191314626866399
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136249
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Sampling point at Folkestone
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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 13300:1
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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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