2024 Bathing Water Profile for Portreath
-
Portreath is on the north coast of Cornwall. It is a sand and shingle beach resort, approximately 520 metres wide, backed by cliffs. There is a stream that flows across the beach to the sea.
-
Cornwall
-
Cornwall
-
In the past untreated sewage from Redruth entered the Portreath Stream at the Portreath Tunnel, and flowed downstream to the bathing water. The sewage treatment scheme for Camborne and Redruth, which provides secondary treatment, was completed by South West Water in 2001. The sewage from Redruth is pumped to a sewage treatment works (STW) at Kieve Mill to the northwest of Camborne. The treated sewage is then discharged to the sea at North Cliffs approximately three and a half kilometres to the southwest of Portreath. The Portreath Tunnel discharge has been retained as an emergency overflow/combined sewer overflow to the Bridge pumping station, which received storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) by May 2011.
-
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 21% of visits, with 71% 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 has a history of large amounts of seaweed from time to time.
-
Wrongly connected domestic waste water pipes can affect the bathing water quality at Portreath beach. 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 not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 7% of visits. 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 Portreath
-
2024-09-30
-
2024-05-01
-
Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff from roads. The Illogan Stream flows onto this beach. The Environment Agency have monitored the stream between 1986 and 2008, and found that water quality is temporarily worse during and after heavy rainfall.
-
Sewage from Portreath, Redruth, and the surrounding area, is treated at Camborne STW and discharges to the sea at North Cliffs, 3.8km west of the bathing water. 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 Portreath 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 75% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
-
The outfall to a private STW for a small number of properties discharges to a stream at SW6511045290, 30m from the beach. The discharge is disinfected and designed to protect bathing water quality. The Environment Agency do not believe this is a source of pollution to the bathing water. If any concerns arise, the Environment Agency will investigate and request immediate remedial action from those responsible.
-
The catchment surrounding Portreath is approximately 3,130 hectares. There are two streams at Portreath. The smaller unnamed stream is just 300m and is channelled underground for about half its length. It enters the sea at the western end of the beach approximately 200m from the Environment Agency monitoring point. The Portreath Stream is approximately eight kilometres (km) long and includes a number of tributaries which drain to it along steep narrow valleys. The stream network is 17.7km in total including the major tributaries. This stream is diverted to a tunnel from upstream of Portreath village, which bypasses the village and enters the sea about 1km north of the beach. The Illogan Stream rises to the north west of Illogan, flows through Illogan Woods and Portreath village, and enters the sea very close to the Environment Agency Monitoring point. The old Nancekuke military site is located along the flat coastal strip to the north of the catchment. Land use is mostly agricultural, with around 20 farms. The arable land is close to the coast, and improved grassland is inland on higher ground. Much of the catchment is urban and contains part of the largest urban conurbation in Cornwall (Camborne, Pool, Redruth), as well as Portreath.
-
Portreath
-
Portreath
-
Sampling point at Portreath
-
165350
-
50.26121685732411
-
-5.293671282719442
-
45330
-
Sampling point at Portreath
-
-
-
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 31500:1
-
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.
-
