2024 Bathing Water Profile for Beer
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Beer is in Seaton Bay on the south coast of Devon. It is a pebble and sand beach, approximately 1.2 kilometres wide, backed by cliffs and the village of Beer.
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East Devon
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Devon
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There is an emergency/storm overflow from the pumping station at Beer Car Park, that discharges to the Beer Stream and through an outfall at the beach. There is also an emergency/storm overflow from the pumping station at Beer Brook and Seaton Hole, that discharges 600m northeast of Beer beach. The operation of the overflows can lead to a temporary drop in bathing water quality.
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Improvements to the Beer combined sewer overflow (CSO) were completed by South West Water in March 1999. The South West Water sewage treatment scheme for Beer was completed by July 2002. Wastewater from Beer is pumped approximately four kilometres to Seaton sewage treatment works where it receives secondary treatment and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. The original outfall at Sea Hill has been retained as a CSO one and a half kilometres south of Beer beach. Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at Beer Car Park and Memorial Gardens (Sea Hill) pumping stations in April 2011.
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The urban area of Beer immediately behind the beach is served by a combined (surface and sewer) system. In 2015 a Yellow Fish campaign was held with local volunteers to raise awareness of sources of water pollution. The campaign highlighted the damage caused by pouring oils, paints, solvents, chemicals or dirty water down highway gullies or surface drains.
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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 59% 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. 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 assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 4% of visits. Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) naturally increase in number at certain times of the year. This process is known as a phytoplankton bloom. These blooms can discolour the water or form as a foam on the water. 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, wind 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 2 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 Beer
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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 Beer Stream flows across the beach to the west of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The Environment Agency have monitored the Beer Stream since 1995 and found that water quality is temporarily worse 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 Beer for the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 2% of visits. Litter was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 49% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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During and after periods of heavy rainfall, runoff from agricultural land is greatly increased, and the quality of the bathing water can be reduced. The Environment Agency are working with Natural England and farmers on Catchment Sensitive Farming programmes to encourage better farming practices and improve water quality in the surrounding areas.
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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 Beer is approximately 400 hectares. The Beer Stream is approximately 1.2km long and is mostly channelled underground as it flows through Beer. The stream discharges via an outfall pipe just offshore approximately 100 metres (m) west of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The steep catchment means rain runs off rapidly into the Beer Stream. Land use is mostly agricultural with significant areas of land used for livestock.
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Beer
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Beer
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Sampling point at Beer
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323121
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50.696530777851144
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-3.08988548959849
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89111
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Sampling point at Beer
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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 21700:1
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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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