The beach is located approximately 1.5 kilometers north east of the River Clwyd, within a long sandy stretch of beach, which extends over 2.5 kilometres from the Clwyd Estuary to Splash Point. The beach has a large tidal range and is very gently sloping from the low tide mark towards the high tide area, which is bordered by a promenade. The water quality sample point is located opposite the car park to the west of The Rhyl Sun Centre.
NRW continues to work to identify and resolve sources of pollution around the Rhyl catchment. Some of this work is carried out in partnership with Denbighshire County Council and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. Investigations are carried out both pre-season (before the 1st of May) and mid season if required (during the bathing water season).
There are two significant intermittent discharges in the immediate Rhyl area. Westbourne Avenue Sewage Pumping Station discharges into the Clwyd Estuary, approximately 1 kilometre west of Rhyl Beach. Rhuddlan Network Tank discharges into the River Clwyd approximately four kilometres from Rhyl. Storage tanks are used during periods of high rainfall to store sewage that the works does not have the capacity to immediately treat. This stored sewage effluent is then treated when storm conditions have passed.
There are many intermittent discharges of sewage in the wider Clwyd catchment. Improved storm storage at the sewage treatment works in Dyserth, Llandyrnog, Llanfair TH and Ruthin, minimises the number of spillages of intermittent storm sewage during periods of high rainfall. Equipment has also been installed at these sites to monitor the duration of those spills that do occur to ensure that any environmental impact is minimised.
NRW has developed a good working relationship with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and liaises regularly to identify problems that could affect bathing water quality.
NRW and Denbighshire County Council have been working together to improve the bathing water quality at Rhyl for a number of years. This work includes tracing the sources of pollution from domestic toilet and utility misconnections that discharge to the private and public surface water system, and subsequently enter the River Clwyd itself or enter drains that discharge directly onto the bathing beach at Rhyl.
Wrongly connected waste water pipes can affect the water quality of rivers and the sea. Misconnections in the Rhyl area, and the wider Clwyd catchment, have been investigated and resolved, and any further suspected misconnections will be investigated as they arise.
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.
Streams are typically affected by sewage or industrial run off from further up the catchment. Monitoring of the River Clwyd has shown a reduction in bacterial levels in recent years, as much previous work has included identifying where point source and diffuse pollution enter the river and its many tributaries, and carrying out work to reduce the effects.
Discharges from sewage treatment works have improved substantially in England and Wales since the 1980s.
Kinmel Bay sewage treatment works discharges secondary treated final effluent through a 4 kilometre long outfall pipe into Liverpool Bay. The length of this outfall pipe was determined through water quality modelling, which predicted the discharge would not impact on nearby bathing waters at this distance.
Inland, Rhuddlan sewage treatment works discharges tertiary-treated (ultra violet disinfection) effluent into the River Clwyd at Rhuddlan, whilst Dyserth sewage treatment works discharges tertiary-treated (ultra-violet disinfection) effluent into a tributary of the River Clwyd at Dyserth. St Asaph sewage treatment works discharges tertiary-treated (ultra violet) effluent into the River Clwyd just below the main town.
Moving up river and further inland, Denbigh sewage treatment works also discharges tertiary-treated (ultra violet disinfection) effluent into the River Clwyd at Denbigh, as a result of recent improvements to the treatment works.
Farming dominates the Clwyd Valley, in particular dairy, beef and sheep farming. A project was established in 2006 to improve water quality across the River Clwyd by minimising the impact of diffuse pollution runoff from farms. This work has continued since, and is now also driven by the need to comply with the Water Framework Directive targets for inland and coastal waters. Many farms in the main Clwyd valley and also several sub-catchments including the Bach, Glanfyddion Cut, Ystrad, Dwr Ial and Hesbin, have been given advice and shared best practice. In particular, advice has focussed on the use of fertilisers, "dirty water" management and land spreading, as this will minimise the amount of wastewater and nutrients entering the river system, and ultimately reaching the bathing waters.
The project established in 2006 to improve water quality in the River Clwyd was also aimed at reducing the impact of industrial pollution. Industry in the valley is relatively low-key and is mostly associated with small industrial parks. The key concern therefore is to ensure that clean and dirty water is being disposed of correctly. One of the larger industrial sites is the creamery at Llandyrnog, which discharges trade effluent to the nearby sewage treatment works. The quality of the effluent is monitored using an environmental permit issued by NRW.
The project established in 2006 to improve water quality in the River Clwyd involves NRW’s officers working with private operators to minimise the impact of their discharges on water quality. This work is continuing to address any potential pollution sources that could affect bathing waters, and involves where necessary, advisory mail drops, dye tracing, misconnection surveys and face to face meetings.
Since 2009 work has been undertaken across a number of sub-catchments including the Bach, Glanfyddion Cut, and Ystrad, as well as the main Clwyd itself. Visits have been made to private properties and caravan sites to ensure that sewage effluent is being disposed of correctly. Poorly maintained private sewage treatment facilities could be a source of pollution, therefore the registration of all private sewage systems in Wales was required by 30 June 2012. The primary aim of registration is to provide increased protection for the environment, and also sensitive features such as bathing water beaches. Where properties are identified that are not on mains sewerage, NRW endeavours to ensure registration is made.
The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment immediately surrounding the bathing water is dominated by the large town of Rhyl. Rhyl is located next to the mouth of the River Clwyd, which drains the Vale of Clwyd. Within the Vale, farming is of major economic importance and dominates the land. The Vale also supports a number of towns and villages such as Ruthin, St Asaph and Denbigh.
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.
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.
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.
It is NRW’s 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, however 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.