2024 Bathing Water Profile for Bournemouth Pier
-
Bournemouth Pier forms part of the 15 kilometre coastline of Poole Bay on the Dorset coast. It is a sandy beach resort, approximately one kilometre wide, close to the town and features a pier, restaurants and amusements.
-
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
-
Dorset
-
There is an emergency/storm overflow from the Bournemouth No.1 pumping station that discharges to the sea 550m south of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The operation of the overflow can lead to a drop in bathing water quality. This bathing water is included in the Surfers Against Sewage “Safer Seas Service”. This service can alert you to Combined Storm Sewer Overflow discharges via a phone App and in addition, it includes the Environment Agency Pollution Risk Forecast warnings where they are available. Further details of the service can be found at - http://www.sas.org.uk/safer-seas-service/
-
In the past the main water company assets affecting this bathing water were from four storm overflows from the tunnel sewer along Bournemouth seafront. These overflows were Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth No 1, Boscombe Pier and Fisherman's Walk. Improvements were made to Fisherman's Walk by Wessex Water in 1993. Hengistbury Head pumping station (PS) and combined sewer overflow (CSO), and Boscombe Pier CSO were improved in early 1999. Bournemouth No.1 PS and CSO were improved in June 1999. Improvements to the treatment capacity and storm storage at Holdenhurst Sewage Treatment Works (STW) were completed in 1994. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection and additional storm storage was installed at Holdenhurst STW by April 2001.
-
Surface water can flow into the Bourne Stream and onto the beach from the surrounding urban area, outfall pipes, and highway drains. This can affect bathing water quality, particularly after periods of rainfall. The Environment Agency have regularly inspected and sampled surface water outfalls. A number of initiatives to improve the quality of the Bourne Stream were successfully completed by the Bourne Stream Partnership between 2000-2007. The partnership includes Bournemouth and Poole Borough Councils, Wessex Water, Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water, Natural England, Greenlink, Bournemouth University, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Bournemouth Oceanarium and the Dorset Coast Forum.
-
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 59% of visits. This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
-
Wrongly connected domestic waste water pipes can also affect the bathing water quality. We have checked the local sewerage system for misconnections. We are working with Wessex Water to identify and rectify any problems. 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.
-
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, phytoplankton (microscopic algae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 2% of visits, with 5% of visits noting the presence of phytoplankton (microscopic algae). Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) naturally increase in number at certain times of the year. This process is known as a phytoplankton bloom. This bathing water does not have a history of phytoplankton blooms. 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.
-
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.
-
2024 Bathing Water Profile for Bournemouth Pier
-
2024-09-30
-
2024-05-01
-
The Bourne Stream enters the sea through a long sea outfall south of Bournemouth Pier. During heavy rainfall a shorter outfall close to the beach can be used. The Environment Agency have monitored the water quality of the Bourne Stream since 1994, although this monitoring has now stopped. Bathing water quality can be worse when the Bourne Stream discharges via the short outfall.
-
Sewage from the Bournemouth area is pumped to Holdenhurst (Bournemouth) STW. The outfall from Holdenhurst STW discharges to the River Stour, north of Bournemouth. This discharge is disinfected and designed to protect bathing water quality.
-
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Bournemouth Pier 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 29% of visits, with 71% of visits noting the presence of litter. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
-
The catchment surrounding Bournemouth Pier is approximately 1,500 hectares. The Bourne Stream is approximately 13km long and emerges from three underground channels below Ringwood Road in Poole. The stream is channelled underground at various stretches totalling 5.7km as it flows south eastwards through Bournemouth, and is finally redirected through the long sea outfall south of Bournemouth Pier. The catchment is urban.
-
Bournemouth Pier
-
Bournemouth Pier
-
Sampling point at Bournemouth Pier
-
408860
-
50.715465501090364
-
-1.875860241218663
-
90657
-
Sampling point at Bournemouth Pier
-
-
-
p152 dT23 h59 m59 s
-
2024 05 01 t00:00:00
-
2024-05-01T00:00:00
-
-
2024 09 30 t23:59:59
-
2024-09-30T23:59:59
-
-
-
2024 19100:1
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Discharges from sewage treatment works have improved substantially in England since the 1980s.
-
