|
|
|
|
 |
bathing water description |
Situated on the north east coast of North Wales, the beach is a long stretch of sand
divided by sea defences. It has a large tidal range and is gently sloping from low
tide towards the high tide area, which is bordered by a promenade. The water quality
sample point is opposite the café adjacent to the Nova Centre.
|
 |
|
county name |
Denbighshire |
|
|
eso outfalls statement |
There are two significant intermittent discharges in the Rhyl area which could impact
on Prestatyn bathing waters under certain tidal conditions. Westbourne Avenue Sewage
Pumping Station discharges into the Clwyd Estuary approximately 7 kilometres west
of Prestatyn Beach. Rhyl Coast Road Pumping Station discharges into the Rhyl Cut shortly
before it outfalls on the beach 3 kilometres away from Prestatyn Beach.
There are a number of pumping station and sewer overflows located in Prestatyn which
discharge to Prestatyn Gutter.
A project known as Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) is underway to install telemetry
on Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) within 2km of a bathing water by 2020 so that Dŵr
Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) know when the CSOs are operating and can work to reduce spills.
Ten CSOs near Prestatyn are included in the project.
|
|
|
history statement |
Natural Resources Wales are currently working with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to identify
the benefit to Rhyl bathing waters of further investment and upgrading of their assets.
It is likely that any further improvements to Rhyl bathing waters will also benefit
those at Prestatyn.
Ultra violet (UV) disinfection was installed at Dyserth Sewage Treatment Works (STW)
and new storm tanks were installed by October 2012.
|
|
|
investigations statement |
Natural Resources Wales establishes sources of pollution around Prestatyn. Some of
this work is carried out in partnership with Denbighshire 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).
|
|
|
local authority statement |
Natural Resources Wales continues to work with Denbighshire County Council to maintain
the high standard of water quality at Prestatyn. Denbighshire County Council continues
to monitor the non-designated beaches on the same date as the Natural Resources Wales
monitors Prestatyn EC Beach. This enables weekly data to be gathered of water quality
in the wider area.
|
|
|
macro algae statement |
This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macroalgae). |
|
|
misconnections statement |
Wrongly connected wastewater pipes can affect the water quality of rivers and the
sea. Misconnections have been historically resolved through partnership working between
Natural Resources Wales and Denbighshire County Council. Any further suspect misconnections
will be investigated as they arise.
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.
|
|
|
phytoplankton statement |
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.
|
|
|
source |
|
|
stw outfalls statement |
Kinmel Bay Sewage Treatment Works discharges secondary treated final effluent through
a 4 kilometre outfall pipe. The length of this outfall pipe was determined from modelling
which predicted the discharge would not impact on nearby bathing waters. Rhuddlan
Sewage Treatment Works discharges ultra violet treated effluent into the River Clwyd
at Rhuddlan.
|
|
|
version string |
1 |
|
|
visible pollution statement |
Natural Resources Wales samplers make visual observations of the beach at every visit.
This includes assessments of sewage debris, animal faeces, litter and oil or tar.
At Prestatyn, data are available for the two year assessment period from 2013-2014.
Sewage debris was observed in trace amounts on less than ten per cent of occasions.
Animal faeces was not noted at this site. Trace amounts of litter were observed at
the bathing water between one third and one half of the time and in greater amounts
on less than ten per cent of additional occasions. Oil and tarry residues were not
noted at this site.
|
|
|
working with industry statement |
The River Clwyd can impact on water quality at Prestatyn under certain tidal conditions.
A project was set up in 2006 to improve water quality of the River Clwyd and a proportion
of this work has been aimed at engaging with industry, to minimise the impact of industrial
pollution.
|
|
|
zoi description |
Prestatyn is located over 6 kilometres to the east of the mouth of the River Clwyd.
This river drains the Vale of Clwyd from as far up as Ruthin and beyond. Within the
vale, farming is of major economic importance and much of the land is used for this
purpose. The vale also supports a number of towns and villages such as Rhyl, St Asaph
and Denbigh. Approximately 3 kilometres to the west of the bathing water is the outfall
to Rhyl Cut, which drains both urban and rural areas of Rhyl and Prestatyn. Approximately
3.5 kilometres to the east, is the mouth of Prestatyn Gutter which drains areas of
Prestatyn. Approximately 600 metres to the west is a surface water outfall serving
a housing development within Prestatyn.
|
|
|
bathing water |
|
|
local authority |
Sir Ddinbych - Denbighshire |
|
|
standard language collection |
2015-40700:1
|
|
|
|
|
algae general statement |
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.
|
|
|
eso outfalls general statement |
The majority of sewers in 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.
|
|
|
local authority general statement |
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.
|
|
|
pollution management general statement |
It is 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. The following sections serve to highlight potential sources of
pollution, conditions under which they may arise and measures being put in place to
improve water quality.
|
|
|
stw outfalls general statement |
Discharges from sewage treatment works have improved substantially in Wales since
the 1980s.
|
|
|
|
web res image |
ukl1302-40700_1-webres.jpg |
|
