Seaham Hall Beach is a gently sloping resort beach with the designated area measuring
approximately 800 metres in length. The beach is mainly sand above the high water
mark and a mixture of sand and rock in the inter tidal area. The designated area is
in the centre of a two kilometres long bay and the main access to the beach is via
stairs. The beach is backed with low cliffs with a promenade at its southern end.
Until 2013, it was officially called Seaham beach but the name has been changed to
reflect local custom.
There are no outfalls discharging directly onto the bathing beach but a number of
outfalls discharge to local streams and can temporarily affect bathing water quality
after heavy rainfall. A scheme was completed implemented during 2015 to improve storm
overflows discharging to the Dalton Beck with the aim of reducing their impact on
this bathing water.
Crude sewage discharges in the Seaham area were intercepted and connected to a long
sea outfall to the south of the town in the early 1990's. Improvements were also made
to the inland sewerage network to improve combined sewer overflows (CSO) discharging
to streams that may have been impacting on the beach. A sewage treatment works was
built in 2000 to comply with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
Occasional high counts of bacteria at Seaham and Seaham Hall, following wet weather,
lead to an investigation by the Environment Agency. The Environment Agency has worked
with the water company to secure funding to investigate the performance of their sewerage
network in the area. This investigation reported during 2012 and an improvement scheme
has been implemented.
For the four year (2015-2018) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being
present on 22% of visits. 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 (2015-2018) 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.
This bathing water is subject to short term pollution. Short term pollution is caused
when heavy rainfall or high tides wash faecal material into the sea from livestock,
sewage and urban drainage via rivers and streams. At this site the risk of encountering
reduced water quality increases after rainfall and typically returns to normal after
1-3 days. The Environment Agency makes daily pollution risk forecasts based on rainfall
and tidal patterns and will issue a pollution risk warning if high tides or heavy
rainfall occurs to enable bathers to avoid periods of increased risk.
The Environment Agency works to reduce the sources of this pollution through pollution
prevention measures, work with agriculture and water companies.
4 warnings advising against swimming due to an increase risk of short term pollution
were issued in 2018 for Seaham Hall Beach bathing water. These warnings were issued
because of the effects of heavy rain on the water quality.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every
visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Seaham Hall
Beach for the four year (2015-2018) 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 22% of visits. Tarry residue
was not noted at this site.
The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is approximately
6.7 square kilometres, which is a mixture of arable and grassland in the upper catchment
and urban in the lower.
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.
