2023 Bathing Water Profile for Redcar Lifeboat Station
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Redcar Lifeboat Station is one of four designated bathing beaches fronting the resort of Redcar. It is a gently-sloping sandy beach between Coatham Rocks and Redcar Rocks.
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Redcar and Cleveland
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Redcar & Cleveland
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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. Discharges from those remaining will now occur 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/
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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.
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2023 Bathing Water Profile for Redcar Lifeboat Station
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For the four year (2019-2022) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 8% of visits, with 48% 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).
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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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For the four year (2019-2022) 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.
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This bathing water is subject to short term pollution procedures. The Environment Agency makes a daily pollution risk forecast at this site based on the effects of rain, wind and seasonality on bathing water quality. These factors affect the levels of bacteria that get washed into the sea from livestock, sewage and urban drainage via rivers and streams and how they disperse. When these factors combine to make short term pollution likely we issue a pollution risk warning on this website and the beach manager will display a sign advising against bathing at the bathing water. After a short term pollution event, levels of bacteria typically return to normal after a day or so but it’s possible to have several warning days in a row. Details of the work to reduce the sources of bacteria at this bathing water are detailed in this profile. In 2022 3 pollution risk warnings were issued for this bathing water. All bathing waters have the potential to be affected by a pollution incident and if this occurs a pollution risk warning will be issued with associated advice against bathing on this website.
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2023 Bathing Water Profile for Redcar Lifeboat Station
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2023-09-30
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2023-05-01
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Bathing water quality may be affected by surface water outfalls and storm overflows, designed to operate during and after unusually heavy rainfall. Bathing water quality can sometimes be affected by uncleared seaweed.
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This bathing water is subject to short term pollution procedures. The Environment Agency makes a daily pollution risk forecast based on the effects of rain, wind and seasonality. These factors affect the levels of bacteria that get washed into the sea from livestock, sewage and urban drainage via rivers and streams and how they disperse. When short term pollution is likely a pollution risk warning is issued and a warning is displayed at this bathing water and online. After a pollution risk warning, levels of bacteria usually return to normal after a day or so, but it’s possible to have several warning days in a row. In 2022 3 pollution risk warnings were issued at this bathing water.
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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 Lifeboat Station for the four year (2019-2022) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not noted at this site. Litter was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 10% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The hinterland to the beach is the town of Redcar and no natural surface waters drain into this bathing water.
