2014 Bathing Water Profile for St Davids - Benllech
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Located on the east coast of Anglesey, to the west side of Red Wharf Bay, the St David’s beach is sandy in nature. The beach is located in the Anglesey Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Trwyn Dwlban Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is also 250 metres shoreward of the Menai Straits and Conwy Bay Special Area of Conservation. The water quality sample point is located in line with the beach entrance.
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Isle of Anglesey
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Natural Resources Wales works to establish sources of pollution around St David’s Beach, Benllech. Some of this work is carried out in partnership with Anglesey County Council and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. Inspections are carried out by Natural Resources Wales in partnership with the local authority and the water company. These are carried out pre-season (before the 1st of May) and mid season if required (during the bathing water season). During 2011 an intensive bacterial survey was undertaken around Red Wharf Bay, to identify sources of bacterial contamination. This will be followed up with pollution prevention work in 2012.
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There are no intermittent discharges that drain directly onto this beach or into the bathing water. Wendon Car Park Pumping Station overflow discharges into the sea, approximately 950 metres to the northwest of St David’s.
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Natural Resources Wales has developed a good working relationship with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and liaises regularly in efforts to identify problems that could affect bathing water quality. Benllech Sewage Treatment Works had a primary treatment system installed in 1995 followed by further upgrades to provide secondary treatment, and an improved outfall. These improvements were completed in the autumn of 1999.
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Natural Resources Wales continues to work together with Anglesey Council to maintain the high standard of water quality at St David’s, Benllech.
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This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macroalgae).
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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. There are no known misconnections on the River Nodwydd or in Benllech.
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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. Algal Blooms can occur at any beach during the bathing season and are usually noticeable by a surface scum. This beach has no history of such blooms.
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2014 Bathing Water Profile for St Davids - Benllech
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Streams are typically affected by sewage or industrial run off from further up the catchment. There are no main rivers draining directly to the bathing area, but to the east of the cove, the River Nodwydd drains into Red Wharf Bay. At low tide, this flows within 350 metres of the bathing beach. The Nodwydd is a relatively small water body. It drains the catchment for approximately 2.5 kilometres, and there is no evidence to suggest that the river has any impact on bathing water quality.
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Benllech Sewage Treatment Works long sea outfall, discharges treated sewage effluent next to the bathing water, to the east of the town of Benllech. The outfall is located approximately 1.7 kilometres from the shore.
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Natural Resources Wales continues to work with private owners regarding potential pollution sources to the bathing water. This work involves where necessary, advisory mail drops, dye tracing, misconnection surveys and face to face meetings. There are a number of caravan sites in the area. The majority have been visited and identified as having private sewage disposal systems. A need to upgrade the facilities at one site is currently at the planning stage. Poorly maintained private sewage treatment facilities could be a source of pollution, therefore the registration of all private sewage systems in Wales is required by 30 June 2012. The primary aim of this exercise is to provide increased protection for the environment and sensitive features such as bathing water beaches. Where properties are identified in the catchment that are not on mains sewerage, Natural Resources Wales will endeavour to ensure registration has been made. An assessment of the systems has since been carried out. No further problems were discovered.
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The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is primarily agricultural. The land rises up around the cove, with a caravan park and parking area located immediately behind. There are no main rivers draining directly into the bathing area, but to the east of the cove, the River Nodwydd drains into Red Wharf Bay. At low tide, this flows within 350 metres of the bathing beach. The town of Benllech is located approximately 750 metres to the north west. The area immediately behind Benllech and south east towards St David’s is predominantly agricultural, with some isolated properties.
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2014 40105:1
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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 and Wales 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 and Natural Resources Wales role to drive improvement of water quality at bathing waters that are at risk of failing European 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 and Wales since the 1980s.
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