2024 Bathing Water Profile for Brean
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Brean is on the Somerset coast overlooking the Bristol Channel. It is a sand and mud beach resort, approximately 2.7 kilometres wide, close to several caravan and camping sites.
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Sedgemoor
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Somerset
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Coal deposits are sometimes washed up on Brean Beach. The Environment Agency have investigated this and found that the coal comes from a local source (possibly an exposed seam in the Severn Estuary), and not from foreign coal being transported to Royal Portbury Docks. The drop in Class in 2021 has been investigated and was found to be caused by a single high result. We will continue to monitor the bathing water and investigate further should this occur again.
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The Wessex Water sewage treatment scheme for West Huntspill, which provided secondary treatment, was partially completed during 1997. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection was added in 2000. The Wessex Water sewage treatment scheme for Bridgwater, which provides secondary treatment and UV disinfection was also completed in 2000. Additional improvements were made to the sewerage system in Weston-super-Mare to reduce the frequency of emergency overflows, particularly at the Black Rock outfall. Eight storm overflows in Bridgwater and a storm overflow in Burnham had improvements completed by April 2005. Further investments in sewage treatment standards and combined sewer overflow (CSO) operation were completed at Weston-super-Mare in 2013.
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For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 8% of visits, with 77% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
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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. 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.
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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 Brean
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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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 Brean 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 not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 79% of visits. Tarry residue was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 3% of visits.
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The catchment surrounding Brean is approximately 245,800 hectares and includes the rivers Parrett, Huntspill, and Brue. The Parrett, Huntspill and Brue rivers flow from the steep uplands of the Quantocks, Blackdown Hills and Mendips. The rivers flow north and west into the extensive low-lying floodplain of the Somerset Levels and Moors through various man-made drainage channels to the Severn Estuary at Bridgwater Bay. The steep catchment means rain runs off rapidly into the rivers. Rivers and other streams in the Somerset Levels are controlled by sluices which manage the volume of freshwater entering Bridgwater Bay The River Parrett is 60km long and flows through Dorset and Somerset to its mouth at Burnham-on-Sea. The main tributaries of the Parrett are the rivers Isle, Tone, Yeo and Cary. The Tone joins the tidal Parrett 30km inland at Burrowbridge. The River Cary rises at Castle Cary and flows west into the man-made King's Sedgemoor Drain at Henley Corner. It continues across the Somerset Moors and joins the tidal River Parrett downstream of Bridgwater at Dunball Sluice. The River Huntspill is a man-made river in the Sedgemoor district of the Somerset Levels that joins the River Parrett just south of Highbridge. The river was built to act as a long reservoir to provide an all year-round supply of water for the Royal Ordnance Factory near Puriton, as well as to help drain parts of the lower Brue Valley. The River Brue rises in Somerset and falls quickly in a narrow valley to a point just beyond Bruton where it is joined by the River Pitt. To the northeast of Glastonbury, the Brue is joined by various man-made drainage channels before entering the Bristol Channel. The catchment is mostly rural, with urban areas making up only five per cent of the total. The majority of the land is used for large scale agriculture, with more than 50 farms.
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Brean
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Brean
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Sampling point at Brean
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329600
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51.321226248428644
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-3.011650047268998
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158500
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Sampling point at Brean
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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 35600:1
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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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