2014 Bathing Water Profile for Coppet Hall
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This beach is gently sloping and wide, with a pebble bank on the high tide mark. Spanning approximately 850 metres of the Pembrokeshire coast line, the bay is backed by a combination of agricultural land, domestic properties and small holiday homes. Coppet Hall Beach also forms part of the Carmarthen Bay Special Area of Conservation, confirming the high conservation status of the area. The bathing water also lies within Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The water quality sample point is located in line with the car park.
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Pembrokeshire
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Natural Resources Wales works with Pembrokeshire County Council and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to maintain the high quality of bathing water at Coppet Hall. 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).
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There are no intermittent outfalls at Coppet Hall, but waste water can discharge from Saundersfoot storm overflows which can influence water quality at Coppet Hall. These protect domestic properties in Saundersfoot from being flooded by sewage during periods of heavy rainfall. Combined Storm Overflows discharges occur when heavy rainfall overwhelms the sewerage system, causing diluted sewage to spill.
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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.
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Natural Resources Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council and Saundersfoot Harbour Commissioners work together to maintain the high quality of bathing water at Coppet Hall.
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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.
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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 algal blooms can occur at any beach during the bathing season and are usually noticeable by a surface scum. This beach has a history of such blooms.
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2014 Bathing Water Profile for Coppet Hall
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Streams and rivers are typically affected by sewage or runoff from industrial areas from further up the catchment. Coppet Hall bathing water quality can be affected by the freshwater of the Saundersfoot stream, running through the harbour and across the nearby Saundersfoot beach.
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There are no sewage treatment works which discharge in the vicinity of this bathing water.
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Significant areas of pastureland, occupied by livestock, feature in the largely agricultural catchment around Coppet Hall. A program of farm visits is carried out each year, to monitor farming methods and share best practice.
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Poorly maintained private sewage treatment facilities could be a source of pollution, therefore the registration of all qualifying private sewage systems in Wales was 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 discharges from properties are identified in the catchment that are not on mains sewerage, Natural Resources Wales will endeavour to ensure registration has been made, unless already a permitted discharge. Natural Resources Wales places a high value on public participation in helping to trace sources of environmental pollution. Natural Resources Wales welcomes any comments or information from the pubic with regards to environmental pollution.
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The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is largely agricultural. The popular coastal village of Saundersfoot, with a harbour, is located one kilometre to the south west.
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2014 37980:1
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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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