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 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 the Environment Agency's role to drive improvement of water quality at bathing
waters. The 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 two main pressures affecting the quality of the bathing waters in Windermere are
nutrient enrichment (contributing to algal blooms) and bacterial pollution. These
issues are being exacerbated by the rising temperatures and extreme weather patterns
that are currently occurring with climate change. A large part of managing bathing
water quality involves reducing the input from pollutant sources. The main sources
consist of both mains and non mains sewage effluent, agriculture and other land management
activities.