2024 Bathing Water Profile for Crantock
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Crantock Beach is on the north coast of Cornwall at the mouth of the Gannel Estuary. It is a sandy beach resort, approximately 940 metres wide, surrounded by sand dunes and cliffs. The River Gannel flows the length of the beach to the sea at the north end of the beach.
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Cornwall
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Cornwall
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The Environment Agency carried out additional monitoring in the River Gannel in 2010, and will made recommendations for further improvements to protect and improve the bathing water quality. Investigations indicated that water quality was generally good in the River Gannel but may occasionally be affected by agricultural runoff in the upper catchment during wet weather and sewerage operations in the lower catchment. Lower water quality in the bathing water was most likely to occur at low tide.
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There is an emergency overflow from the West Pentire pumping station, that discharges to the sea 700m southwest of the Environment Agency monitoring point. There is an emergency/storm overflow from the Crantock pumping station, that discharges to the River Gannel 500m upstream from the beach. There is also an emergency/storm overflow from the Fern Pit pumping station, that discharges to the River Gannel close to the beach. The operation of these overflows can lead to a temporary drop in water quality in the River Gannel and Crantock bathing water. This bathing water is included in the Surfers Against Sewage “Safer Seas Service”. This service can alert you to Combined Storm Sewer Overflow discharges via a phone App and in addition, it includes the Environment Agency Pollution Risk Forecast warnings where they are available. Further details of the service can be found at - http://www.sas.org.uk/safer-seas-service/
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The sewage treatment scheme for Newquay, which provides secondary treatment and ultraviolet disinfection, was completed by South West Water in April 2000. Extensive sewerage work to combined sewer overflows in the Newquay area was also carried out at that time. The sewage treatment works (STW) at Newlyn (East) and Fraddon received tertiary treatment in 2001 and 2002 respectively. Sewage from Mitchell STW are pumped to Newlyn (East). Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at the Gusti Veor, Crantock, and Fern Pitt pumping stations by December 2011, and at the Tresean pumping station by April 2016.
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The urban area of Crantock immediately behind the beach is served by a combined (surface and sewer) system.
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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 2% of visits, with 66% 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 also affect the bathing water quality. We have checked the local sewerage system 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 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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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 5 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.
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2024 Bathing Water Profile for Crantock
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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 River Gannel flows across the northern end of this beach. The Environment Agency have monitored the stream between 1987 and 2014, and found that water quality is temporarily worse during and after heavy rainfall.
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The outfall for the Newquay STW discharges into the sea approximately 2.5km northeast of Crantock bathing water at Towan Head. This discharge is disinfected and 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 Crantock for the four year (2020-2023) 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 59% of visits noting the presence of litter. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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There are caravan parks and hotels that are not on the main sewerage system and have private sewage treatment arrangements. The Environment Agency do not believe these are 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.
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The catchment surrounding Crantock is approximately 6,000 hectares. The River Gannel rises just north of the A30 at Fraddon and flows approximately 10 kilometres (km) to the tidal limit of the Gannel Estuary. The estuary flows for three and a half kilometres and enters the sea at Crantock Beach, to the west of Newquay. The streams which drain into the Gannel Estuary include the Benny Stream and the Trencreek Stream. The river network in the catchment is approximately 32km in total. The steep parts of the catchment mean rain runs off rapidly into the river. Land use is mostly agricultural for the production of early potatoes, brassicas and daffodils, along with mixed dairy units. The majority of farms in the catchment are small to medium, with beef, sheep and small areas of arable. There are also a number of dairy farms and a few larger specialist arable farms. The urban areas in the catchment include most of the resort town of Newquay, St Newlyn East and Fraddon. There are holiday camps and caravan sites in the catchment. Newlyn Downs Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is at the top of the catchment around the Benny Stream headwaters.
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Crantock
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Crantock
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Sampling point at Crantock
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178460
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50.40681791797864
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-5.119221503916047
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60980
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Sampling point at Crantock
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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 32100:1
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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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