2024 Bathing Water Profile for Sandymouth
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Sandymouth is on the north coast of Cornwall. It is a sandy beach, approximately one kilometre wide, backed by pebbles and cliffs. There are also rock pools and waterfalls from small streams that flow to the beach.
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Cornwall
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Cornwall
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The Environment Agency periodically carries out additional catchment monitoring, and this is used to make recommendations for further improvements to protect and improve bathing water quality.
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In the past sewage at Bude was discharged without treatment through a short outfall off Compass Point. The South West Water sewage treatment scheme for Bude, which provides primary treatment and a one kilometre long sea outfall, was completed in 1993. The Bude sewage treatment works (STW) was upgraded with secondary treatment by the end of 2000. Improvements to the combined storm overflow (CSO) at Stratton pumping station were also completed at that time. In recent years the Environment Agency has worked extensively with South West Water to identify and rectify issues with bacterial contamination of the River Strat from degraded sewers in Bude. Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at Crooklets Car Park by December 2011 and a sewage leak to Flex Brook was fixed. Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at The Strand, Nanny Moores, Summerleaze Car Park, and at the Stratton and Castle pumping stations by April 2011. EDM was installed at the Barn Orchard Cottages pumping station in March 2016. EDM is to be installed at Broadclose Farm CSO by September 2021. Improvements to 7 emergency/storm overflows within the nearby Crooklets and Summerleaze bathing water catchments are due for completion by September 2022.
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The Environment Agency have regularly inspected and sampled surface water outfalls.
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For the three year (2021-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 54% of visits. 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 also affect the bathing water quality. We have checked the local sewerage system at the beach café for misconnections. 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 three year (2021-2023) 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 5% 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.
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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 Sandymouth
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff from roads. The Sandy Mouth Stream and a smaller unnamed stream flow across this beach. The Environment Agency have monitored the streams between 1994 and 2012, and found that water quality is temporarily worse during and after heavy rainfall.
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The outfall from Bude STW discharges into the sea off Compass Point approximately 3.8km south of Sandymouth bathing water. This discharge is designed to protect bathing water quality.
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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 Sandymouth for the three year (2021-2023) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not noted at this site. Litter was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 2% of visits, with 31% of visits noting the presence of litter. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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There are two farms in the catchment which are used for livestock. During and after periods of heavy rainfall, runoff to the Sandy Mouth Stream from agricultural land is greatly increased, and the quality of the bathing water can be reduced.
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The catchment surrounding Sandymouth is approximately 120 hectares. The Sandy Mouth Stream is 1.25km long and enters the sea at the bathing water. There is also a smaller stream approximately 0.75km long that enters the sea at Sandymouth beach. The steep catchment means rain runs off rapidly into the stream. Land use is rural with just one or two farms.
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Sandymouth
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Sandymouth
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Sampling point at Sandymouth
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220160
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50.860925775452294
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-4.556801840988395
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109940
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Sampling point at Sandymouth
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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 33700:1
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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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