2024 Bathing Water Profile for Minster Leas
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Minster Leas bathing water is on the north coast of the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. The long sand and shingle beach is gently sloping, flattening to a wide expanse of sand and mud that is exposed when the tide retreats. The bathing water contains numerous groynes and is backed by a promenade and a wide, grassy bank, behind which lies the town of Minster.
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Swale
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Kent
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There is a storm overflow within the bathing water area, namely Westcliffe Drive. This overflow operates during heavy rainfall when the sewerage system can become overwhelmed by the volume of surface water entering the sewer system. The overflow prevent sewage from backing up pipes and flooding properties. Storm overflow discharges into the Thames and Medway estuaries are designed to protect bathing water compliance where necessary.
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Grain sewage treatment works, which discharges into the mouth of the Medway 5.8 km northwest of the bathing water sampling site, was upgraded to further treatment in 2006. Queenborough sewage treatment works, which discharges into the Swale approximately 8.5 km from the bathing water was upgraded to further treatment in 2000 and ultraviolet disinfection was installed prior to 2005 to improve shellfish water quality. Stoke sewage treatment works, which discharges into the Medway estuary approximately 10 km from the bathing water, received further treatment prior to 2003. As part of Southern Water’s Bathing Water Enhancement Programme (from 2016 to 2019), Southern Water have worked with partners and delivered solutions to improve bathing water quality.
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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 96% of visits. The bathing water 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 assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 2% of visits. Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) 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 procedures. The Environment Agency makes a daily pollution risk forecast at this site based on the effects of rain, 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. No warnings were issued last season as this site is new to PRF 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 Minster Leas
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The arterial drainage ditch system inputs via a surface water outfall in the northwest area of the bathing water and this may receive storm/emergency sewage inputs in wet weather. There are additional surface water inputs approximately 1 km northwest and 1.8 & 2.5 km southeast of the bathing water sampling site and it is close to the mouths of both the Thames and Medway estuaries. There is no evidence that these sources affect bathing water quality at Minster Leas but the bathing water was only designated in 2010 so there is little bathing water compliance data available.
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Grain sewage treatment works discharges further treated effluent into the mouth of the Medway 5.8 km northwest of the bathing water sampling site. Queenborough sewage treatment works discharges further treated, ultraviolet disinfected effluent into the Swale approximately 8.5 km from the bathing water sampling site. The Thames and Medway estuaries both receive treated sewage discharges at various points, resulting in significant bacteriological loads into these estuaries; however the sewage discharges are designed to protect bathing water compliance where appropriate.
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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 Minster Leas for the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not noted at this site. Litter was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 2% of visits, with 98% of visits noting the presence of litter. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is approximately 400 hectares. The catchment is mixture of urban and rural land, comprising much of the town of Minster along with some of the surrounding farmland which is drained by an arterial drainage/ditch system.
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Minster Leas
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Minster Leas
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Sampling point at Minster Leas
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595094
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51.43293721413515
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0.805325503474074
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174170
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Sampling point at Minster Leas
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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 11975:1
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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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