2019 Bathing Water Profile for Polurrian Cove
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Polurrian Cove is on the south coast of Cornwall. It is a rural sandy cove, approximately 330 metres wide, surrounded by rocks and steep cliffs. A stream flows onto the beach and disperses over the sand.
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Cornwall
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Cornwall
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There is an emergency overflow from the Polbream pumping station, that discharges to the sea 270m from the Environment Agency monitoring point. There is an emergency overflow from the pumping station at Polurrian Cove Public Conveniences, that discharges to the Mullion Brook 160m from the Environment Agency monitoring point. The operation of the overflows can lead to a temporary drop in bathing water quality.
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The South West Water scheme for The Lizard sewage treatment works (STW), which provides secondary treatment, was completed in September 2005. Sewage from the Mullion catchment is pumped to The Lizard STW for treatment, and discharges to the east of Lizard Point. Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at the Mullion Transfer pumping station by April 2012.
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For the four year (2015-2018) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 12% of visits, with 84% 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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Wrongly connected domestic waste water pipes can affect the bathing water quality. 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 (2015-2018) 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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2019 Bathing Water Profile for Polurrian Cove
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2019-09-30
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2019-05-01
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Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff from roads. The Pollurian Stream (also known as the Mullion Brook) flows onto this beach. The Environment Agency have monitored the stream between 1990 and 2008, and found that water quality is temporarily worse during and after heavy rainfall.
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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 Polurrian Cove for the four year (2015-2018) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not noted at this site. Litter was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 4% of visits, with 86% of visits noting the presence of litter. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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There are very few farms in the catchment. During and after periods of heavy rainfall, runoff from agricultural land is greatly increased, and the quality of the bathing water can be reduced.
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The catchment surrounding Polurrian Cove is approximately 80 hectares. The Mullion Brook is a small stream approximately 800m long which flows from the village of Mullion to the beach. The catchment slopes gently from north to south and becomes steeper at the coast. The steep slopes in the lower catchment mean rain runs off rapidly into the stream. The catchment is mostly taken up by the village of Mullion village, and there is some arable and grass land closer to the coast. A section of the Lizard Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Baulk Head to Mullion Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) can be found on the coast and lower reach of the stream. The catchment is in the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
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Polurrian Cove
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Polurrian Cove
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Sampling point at Polurrian Cove
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166860
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50.023330677378155
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-5.256277429751976
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18770
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Sampling point at Polurrian Cove
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p152 dT23 h59 m59 s
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2019 05 01 t00:00:00
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2019-05-01T00:00:00
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2019 09 30 t23:59:59
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2019-09-30T23:59:59
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2019 29400:1
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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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