2024 Bathing Water Profile for Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder
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Jacobs Ladder is on the south coast of Devon. It is a pebble beach, approximately 490 metres wide, backed by cliffs. A path along the cliff connects the beach to Sidmouth Town beach.
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East Devon District
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Devon
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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) at 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 39% of visits. This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
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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 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 Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder
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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 one kilometre 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 450m east of the Environment Agency monitoring point.
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The Sidmouth STW outfall discharges to the sea 1.3km 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 Jacobs Ladder 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 45% 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.
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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 affect 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 one kilometre (km) 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 2.3km long and flows through the western part of Sidmouth to the sea 450m east 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 Jacobs Ladder
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Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder
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Sampling point at Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder
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311920
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50.67525114254649
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-3.247920430683992
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86921
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Sampling point at Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder
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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 21900:1
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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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