2014 Bathing Water Profile for Llandudno North Shore
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Situated on the North Wales coastline, the bay faces north east, between the Great Orme and the Little Orme headlands. The beach is long and sandy, with a stony pebble foreshore, which extends over 2 kilometres. A concrete promenade runs the length of the beach to the rear. The sea area offshore is designated as the Menai Strait and Conwy Special Area of Conservation, whilst the Great Orme is also designated as a Special Area of Conservation. The water quality sample point is located opposite the St. George's Hotel.
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Conwy
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Natural Resources Wales works to establish sources of pollution around Llandudno North Shore. Some of this work is carried out in partnership with Conwy 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). A monitoring programme was implemented in 2009 to assess the levels of bacteria at different points along the beach, as a precursor to targeting investigation work. This work has continued into 2011and beyond.
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Natural Resources Wales has developed a good working relationship with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and liaises regularly to identify problems that could affect bathing water quality. A major improvement scheme was completed by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water for Conwy, Deganwy, Llandudno and Colwyn Bay in 1999. The sewage from the immediate catchment of Llandudno and the aforementioned areas is now pumped to the Ganol Wastewater Treatment Works at Llandudno Junction. The Works then discharges disinfected secondary treated effluent through a sea outfall to the east of Llandudno, into Penrhyn Bay.
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Natural Resources Wales continues to work with Conwy Council to maintain the high standard of water quality at Llandudno North Shore.
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This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macroalgae).
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Wrongly connected waste water pipes can affect the water quality of rivers and the sea. Natural Resources Wales is working with Conwy Council to investigate those areas of Llandudno that could have misconnections issues. 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. 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 Llandudno North Shore
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Streams are typically affected by sewage or industrial run off from further up the catchment. There are no significant streams or rivers draining towards, or affecting, the bathing water at Llandudno North 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 isolated properties in the upper catchment that have private sewer arrangements, the remainder of the Llandudno north shore catchment is connected to the main sewer system. Natural Resources Wales does not believe these are a source of pollution to the bathing water at present. Recent pollution prevention visits have been carried out on farms and camp sites in the catchment. No issues were identified. 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.
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The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is primarily urban, namely the town of Llandudno. The upper reaches of the catchment are predominantly agricultural, in particular grazing land. The immediate catchment is predominantly flat, low-lying land with a network of surface water drains, some of which discharge towards north shore. The only elevated areas affecting this beach are the headlands of the Great Orme and the smaller Little Orme, to the east. These carboniferous limestone outcrops are mainly covered in rough grazing land, with the Great Orme having some urbanised areas on the north east slope, facing towards the beach.
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2014 40300:1
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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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