Redcar Coatham is the northernmost of four designated bathing beaches fronting the
seaside town of Redcar. It is a wide, gently-sloping sandy beach at the southern end
of Coatham Sands, which lie immediately south of the mouth of the River Tees.
There are a number of combined sewer overflows (CSO) close to this bathing water.
These were the subject of an improvement scheme in 2006 designed to minimise their
impact on bathing waters. Those within the area covered by the map will now discharge
only after unusually heavy rainfall. This bathing water is included in the Surfers
Against Sewage “Safer Seas Service”. This service can alert you to Combined Storm
Sewer Overflow discharges via a phone App and in addition, it includes the Environment
Agency Pollution Risk Forecast warnings where they are available. Further details
of the service can be found at - http://www.sas.org.uk/safer-seas-service/
In the early 1990s, an interceptor sewer was built to take sewage from the Redcar
area to a new long sea outfall at Marske. In 2000, new sewage treatment works were
built at Bran Sands, Seaton Carew and Marske. As well as conventional treatment, all
these discharges are disinfected using ultraviolet light. The location of the outfalls
and the level of treatment mean that these discharges now have no perceptible impact
on bathing water quality.
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 5% of visits, with 63% of
visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). Environment Agency research suggests
this bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
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.
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, phytoplankton
(microscopic algae) was not noted at this site. Environment Agency research suggests
this bathing water does not have a history of phytoplankton blooms.
The risks to human health from contact, ingestion or inhalation with marine algae
that currently occur in UK coastal waters are considered to be low. However, some
individuals may be more sensitive and display some reactions.
A common marine algae found in UK coastal waters is Phaeocystis, which is often mistaken
for sewage as it forms foam and a brown scum, but it is non-toxic.
There are no active pollution risk forecasts made at this bathing water. However any
bathing water has the potential to be affected by a pollution incident and if this
occurs a pollution risk warning with associated advice against bathing will be issued
on this website.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every
visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Redcar Coatham
for the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris
was not noted at this site. Litter was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable
for 6% of visits, with 73% of visits noting the presence of litter. Tarry residue
was not noted at this site.
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 role to drive improvement of water quality at bathing
waters that are at risk of failing higher 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.