2024 Bathing Water Profile for Coverack
-
Coverack is located on the Lizard Peninsula on south coast of Cornwall. It is a rural shingle beach approximately 790 metres wide, backed by the fishing village of Coverack.
-
Cornwall
-
Cornwall
-
There are emergency/storm overflows from Coverack Harbour pumping station and Coverack Mill pumping station, which discharge to the sea at the beach. The operation of the overflows can lead to a temporary drop in water quality in the sea around Coverack Cove.
-
The sewage treatment scheme for Coverack was partially completed by South West Water in March 2000. The scheme included storm storage and pumps at Coverack Mill pumping station (PS), and a outfall and pumps for Coverack Harbour PS. The Coverack sewage treatment works (STW) was upgraded with secondary treatment in March 2003. Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at Coverack Mill and Coverack Harbour pumping stations by April 2011.
-
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 25% of visits, with 56% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). The bathing water can become covered with large amounts of seaweed, depending on tides and the weather. This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed, but that it can be noticeable from time to time.
-
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 2% 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.
-
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, tide 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. In 2023 1 pollution risk warnings were issued for this bathing water. 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.
-
2024 Bathing Water Profile for Coverack
-
2024-09-30
-
2024-05-01
-
Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff from roads. There is a small stream which flows onto this beach close to the Environment Agency monitoring point. The Environment Agency have monitored the stream between 1986 and 2014, and found that water quality is temporarily worse during and after heavy rainfall.
-
The outfall from the Coverack STW, discharges to the sea approximately 750m northeast of the Environment Agency monitoring point. This discharge is 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 Coverack 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 18% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
-
There is one farm in the catchment. During and after periods of heavy rainfall, runoff to the stream from agricultural land is greatly increased, and the quality of the bathing water can be reduced.
-
The catchment surrounding Coverack is approximately 400 hectares. Three streams enter the sea at the bathing water, two of which are tiny and located to the north of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The third stream starts at Penhallick at the western end of the catchment. It flows for approximately 1.8 kilometres (km) and enters the sea at the south of the beach. The catchment slopes gently down to the coast where there are some steep cliffs. Land use is mostly agricultural with a farm, natural heath land and grassland, pockets of improved grassland and arable. The natural areas are part of the Lizard Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and East Lizard Heathlands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The catchment is located in the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
-
Coverack
-
Coverack
-
Sampling point at Coverack
-
178260
-
50.02436158631497
-
-5.097157134548582
-
18400
-
Sampling point at Coverack
-
-
-
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 29100:1
-
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.
-
