2017 Bathing Water Profile for Instow
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Instow Beach is within the Taw/Torridge Estuary on the north coast of Devon. It is a sandy beach resort, approximately 1.1 kilometres wide, backed by sand dunes and Instow town.
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Instow
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Devon
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Investigations in 2005 showed that this bathing water is affected by diffuse pollution from the Taw/Torridge catchment and local combined sewer overflows (CSOs). Projects during 2009 and 2013 highlighted properties that were misconnected to the surface water system, and the Environment Agency worked with the water company to rectify these problems The Environment Agency have used a DNA tracing technique to help us identify whether sources of faecal pollution are human or animal. Results showed that the majority is from agricultural sources, although there is a small component of human sewage in the system. The Environment Agency believe that diffuse agricultural pollution throughout the catchment puts the bathing water quality at risk particularly after heavy rain. The Environment Agency have been working with South West Water to carry out a review of sewerage performance within the Taw/Torridge area. This work has resulted in the recommendation that three CSOs in the Weare Gifford sewerage catchment and eleven CSOs in the Great Torrington sewerage catchment be improved to protect and improve the bathing water quality.
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There is an emergency/storm overflow from the Instow 'A' pumping station. The overflow discharges to the Torridge Estuary 250 metres from the Environment Agency monitoring point. The operation of the overflow can lead to a temporary drop in water quality at the 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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In the past this bathing water was affected by continuous and intermittent discharges of sewage to the Taw/Torridge Estuary. The South West Water sewage treatment scheme for the area collects sewage from the various settlements around the Taw/Torridge Estuary. It is split into two schemes centred on the Ashford (Barnstaple) sewage treatment works (STW) (North Scheme), and a works at Cornborough (South Scheme). The North Scheme at Ashford (Barnstaple) STW, which provided secondary treatment and an outfall to the deep water channel of the Taw Estuary, was completed during 1996 and 1997. The STW was upgraded with ultraviolet (UV) disinfection in October 1997, and flows from the Velator STW were transferred to Ashford at that time. The South Scheme at Cornborough STW, which provides secondary treatment and UV disinfection, was completed in 2003. The scheme included the transfer of sewage from the Rock Nose discharge and other continuous discharges from the south bank of the Taw Estuary to Cornborough STW, and discharge though a 600m outfall at Abbotsham. A number of local sewerage systems with combined sewer overflows (CSO) in Bideford, Appledore, Velator, Fremington and parts of south Barnstaple were also improved or removed as part of the scheme. Improvements were made to eight storm overflows including Yelland CSO, Bideford pumping station (PS), and Instow 'A' PS in April 2004, and a further 22 storm overflows were improved by April 2005. Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at eleven South West Water assets by April 2011. Further EDM installations and work to reduce the frequency of discharges from 14 CSOs to the Taw/Torridge Estuary are due for completion by April 2019. EDM was installed at five of these CSOs in March 2016.
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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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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.
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This bathing water is subject to short term pollution. Short term pollution is caused when heavy rainfall washes faecal material into the sea from livestock, sewage and urban drainage via rivers and streams. At this site the risk of encountering reduced water quality increases after rainfall and typically returns to normal after 1-3 days. The Environment Agency makes daily pollution risk forecasts based on rainfall patterns and will issue a pollution risk warning if heavy rainfall occurs to enable bathers to avoid periods of increased risk. The Environment Agency works to reduce the sources of this pollution through pollution prevention measures, work with agriculture and water companies. 33 warnings advising against swimming due to an increase risk of short term pollution were issued in 2016 for Instow bathing water. These warnings were issued because of the effects of heavy rain on the water quality.
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2017 Bathing Water Profile for Instow
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2017-09-30
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2017-05-01
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This bathing water is in the River Torridge Estuary. The natural effects of the wind and tide in the estuary can affect the bathing water quality, particularly after heavy rainfall.
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Sewage from Instow, Bideford, and the surrounding area, is treated at Cornborough STW and discharges to the sea at Abbotsham, 6.6km west of the bathing water. Sewage from Barnstaple, Braunton, and the surrounding area, is treated at Ashford (Barnstaple) STW and then discharges to the Taw Estuary, 7.4km northeast of the bathing water. Both of these discharges are 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 Instow for the four year (2013-2016) 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 46% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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There are a significant number of farms (more than 3000) in the catchment, 90 percent of which are dairy and beef livestock. During and after periods of heavy rainfall, runoff to the river Torridge 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 to encourage better farming practices and improve water quality in the surrounding areas.
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In 2015, a UV treatment plant was installed at RAF Chivenor's STW.
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The catchment surrounding Instow is approximately 206,600 hectares, and includes the enormous catchment draining the Taw/Torridge Estuary. There is a stream approximately two and a half kilometres long that flows from the east through farmland before entering the estuary at the beach 400m south of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The River Torridge is 77km long and rises on a gently rolling plateau at Baxworthy Cross near Hartland. The river falls steeply to the estuary at Bideford. The River Okement, a major tributary of the Torridge, also rises on Dartmoor. The upper estuary is narrow, meandering and muddy, and joins the River Taw from the east at Appledore Pool forming a broader joint estuary. The River Taw rises at Taw Head within Dartmoor National Park and is fed by three major tributaries: the River Yeo (Lapford), the River Mole and the Little Dart River. The Taw flows north through scenic valleys before joining the estuary at Newbridge above Barnstaple. The steep catchment means rain runs off rapidly into the rivers and estuary. Most of the catchment is rural and sparsely populated. The main urban areas are around the Taw Estuary at Barnstaple, Braunton, Bickington, Fremington and Yelland. Agriculture is the primary industry, and this is mostly dairy and livestock farming. Tourism and recreation are the major industries around the estuary and coast. Other industries include quarrying for sandstone, light industry, timber processing, fish farming and the generation of hydroelectric power.
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Instow
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Instow
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Sampling point at Instow
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247170
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51.05291022442781
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-4.181937298687236
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130440
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Sampling point at Instow
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p152 dT23 h59 m59 s
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2017 05 01 t00:00:00
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2017-05-01T00:00:00
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2017 09 30 t23:59:59
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2017-09-30T23:59:59
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2017 34000:1
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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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