2024 Bathing Water Profile for Sidmouth Town
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Sidmouth Town is on the south coast of Devon. It is a pebble beach, approximately 900 metres wide, with rock groynes backed by the promenade and town. The Sidmouth area extends for five kilometres inland to include Sidford and Sidbury.
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East Devon
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Devon
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In 2016 the Environment Agency carried out stream investigations to identify sources of contamination to the stream. In 2015 the Environment Agency carried out a survey to look at the suitability of the bathing water monitoring point. As a result of this study, the monitoring point was relocated for the 2016 bathing season.
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There are two emergency/storm overflows from the Ham pumping station, the first of which discharges to the sea 620m from the beach. The second discharges to the River Sid at Alma Bridge 380m 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 sewage treatment scheme for Sidmouth, which provides secondary treatment and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection, was completed in 2001. Improvements were made to the combined sewer overflow (CSO) to the Bickwell Brook in 2002. Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at Sidmouth STW (the Ham) pumping station by May 2011.
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The urban area of Sidmouth 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 not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 56% of visits. This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
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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. Wrongly connected domestic waste water pipes can also affect the bathing water quality. An investigation in 2016 found a number of misconnections into the streams and a build-up of fat in the foul sewer. These have now been rectified. We will continue to work with East Devon District Council and South West Water to identify and rectify any problems if they arise.
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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 6% 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 has some 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, sunlight 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 3 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 Sidmouth Town
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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 Sid enters the sea to the east of the beach. The Environment Agency have monitored the River Sid between 1995 and 2010, and found that water quality is temporarily worse after heavy rainfall. The Bickwell Brook enters the sea 280m west of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The Cotmaton Stream, which is largely culverted and discharges 80m from the bathing water sampling point has been sampled since 2016.
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The Sidmouth STW outfall discharges to the sea 620m from the bathing water. 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 Sidmouth Town 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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There are farms in the catchment, which are dairy, beef, and arable. 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 continue to work with farmers to improve their environmental performance.
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The Environment Agency have worked with businesses on the Alexandria Industrial Estate and Manstone Avenue Industrial Estate to ensure there is no effect on the bathing water quality from these sites. A pollution campaign at both sites has resulted in an improvement in water quality.
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The catchment surrounding Sidmouth is approximately 4200 hectares. The River Sid rises on the edge of Pen Hill Woods above Ottery St Mary and flows south through Sidbury to the sea at Sidmouth 330m east of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The steep catchment means rain runs off rapidly into the River Sid and onto the beach. The Bickwell Brook is approximately 2.3 kilometres long and flows through the western part of Sidmouth to the sea 280m west of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The catchment close to the beach is urban, and in the wider catchment it is mostly agriculture and forestry.
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Sidmouth Town
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Sidmouth Town
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Sampling point at Sidmouth Town
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312267
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50.67618469413079
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-3.243033974073603
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87019
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Sampling point at Sidmouth Town
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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 21800:1
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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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