The bathing water at Morecambe South is gently sloping and with small pebbles. There
is a strip of beach exposed throughout the tidal cycle except during a spring tide.
Groynes stretch for several kilometres up and down the coastline on either side of
the bathing water.
In early 2015 United Utilities completed an improvement programme to ten storm and
emergency overflows in the Lancaster city centre area to improve bathing water quality.
To the north of Morecambe South at Bolton-le-Sands work to upgrade St Nicholas Lane
Pumping Station to protect bathing water quality was completed in 2012. Across Morecambe
Bay at Grange-over-Sands the Cart Lane Pumping Station was also upgraded in 2012 to
protect bathing water.
Through United Utilities' improvement programme from 2015 to 2020 improvements to
Hagg Lane storm overflow and Schola Green Pumping Station were planned. The scheme
at Hagg Lane which included the construction of a new underground storm tank to reduce
sewer spills into the River Keer, was completed in 2017. Works to build two stormwater
storage tanks and a new pumped sewer at Schola Green Pumping Station were completed
in 2019 and the convertion of existing tanks to tidal storage at Morecambe WwTWs will
be completed in 2020.
Additionally the programme requires that storm overflows close to bathing waters have
equipment installed to monitor spills to the environment. This will help to identify
where bathing water improvements may be needed in the future.
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/
and via United Utilities website at http://www.unitedutilities.com/Bathing-Waters-Map.aspx.
In 1997 United Utilities built a new sewage treatment works to the south of the bathing
water to serve the Morecambe area. This provided improved sewage treatment and removed
an untreated sewage outfall close to the bathing water. The sewage treatment works
was further upgraded in 2003 when disinfection was added to the treatment process
to protect bathing water quality.
In 2000 Lancaster Sewage Treatment Works was upgraded by United Utilities to provide
improved treatment. Further improvements were made in 2002 to the storm sewage treatment
and again in 2003 to provide disinfection of the discharge to protect bathing water
quality.
An upgrade was made at Carnforth Sewage Treatment Works to ensure the discharge was
treated and disinfected to protect bathing water quality.
Hest Bank Sewage Treatment Works has been closed and the flow transferred to Carnforth
Sewage Treatment Works for treatment. Arnside Sewage Treatment Works has been closed
and the flow transferred to Milnthorpe Sewage Treatment Works for treatment. These
transfers ensure bathing water quality is protected.
A number of storm and emergency overflows operated by United Utilities which can impact
on bathing water quality have been upgraded. These include several outfalls discharging
continuously in the Glasson area that have been transferred to Lancaster Sewage Treatment
Works, as well as several storm overflows on the Middleton Overton peninsula which
have been upgraded.
In 2007 United Utilities, with the Environment Agency support, completed a study of
Morecambe Bay which found that Morecambe Sewage Treatment Works and the River Lune,
to which Lancaster Sewage Treatment Works discharges, have a major influence on the
bathing water quality at Morecambe South.
The Environment Agency can use a DNA identification technique that helps to show whether
sources of pollution are human or animal, as well as identifying presence/absence
of birds and dogs. In 2009 and 2010 this method was used at Morecambe South which
has enabled us to further target the Environment Agency investigations and identify
improvement action.
During 2008 the Environment Agency undertook “source to sea” sampling runs of the
River Lune to assess its impact on bathing water quality. The study showed that the
River Lune is relatively clean upstream of the urbanised areas around Lancaster and
Morecambe with agriculture being the main influence. As the River Lune flows through
the built up area of Lancaster and Morecambe its water quality is reduced and it can
impact on bathing water quality.
In 2011 the Environment Agency surveyed the catchment around Morecambe South to identify
sources of contamination. Where significant issues were found these have been investigated
and improvements made where needed.
Between January and March 2012 the Environment Agency surveyed surface water drains
in this area to identify any sources of contamination.
To help improve bathing water quality we are working alongside Local Authorities through
a LOVEmyBEACH campaign. Further information can be found at http://lovemybeach.org/
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being
present on 81% of visits. 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.
Between January and March 2012 the Environment Agency surveyed surface water catchments
close to Morecambe South bathing water to identify any sources of contamination. This
work led to the investigation of four surface water catchments for misconnections
by United Utilities in 2014 and 2015. The Environment Agency have worked with United
Utilities, the local authority and householders to resolve misconnection issues identified
in the survey.
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, phytoplankton
(microscopic algae) was not noted at this site. Phytoplankton (microscopic algae)
naturally increase in number at certain times of the year. This process is known as
a phytoplankton bloom. 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 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 2023 25 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.
The River Lune, which receives a number of discharges from sewage treatment works
and storm water and emergency overflows, can impact on the bathing water quality at
Morecambe South. To the north of Morecambe South bathing water, the River Keer can
also impact on bathing water quality.
There are a number of sewage treatment works in the Morecambe area which can impact
on Morecambe South bathing water. These include the Morecambe, Lancaster and Carnforth
Sewage Treatment Works.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every
visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Morecambe South
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 1% of visits, with 74% of visits noting the presence of litter. Tarry residue
was not noted at this site.
Morecambe South bathing water lies to the north of the River Lune estuary. The Lune
catchment is rural with significant areas of land used for agriculture.
Catchment Sensitive Farming, delivered by Natural England in partnership with the
Environment Agency, delivers practical solutions and targeted support to enable farmers
and land managers to take voluntary action to reduce diffuse water pollution from
agriculture to protect water bodies and the environment. Actions include a programme
of educational events for farmers, advice to farmers and land managers, farm visits,
and surveys of the area to identify pollution risks. Catchment Sensitive Farming,
an advice-led project, delivering targeted advice to reduce water pollution is underway
within the River Lune and Keer catchments. It enables farmers and land managers to
take action to reduce the impact from farms on water quality.
Heysham Power Station lies directly to the south of the bathing water. Heysham Power
Station has its own private sewage treatment system which, following a recent study,
has been shown to treat the discharge to a high quality and does not impact on bathing
water quality.
There are a number of caravan parks near Morecambe South bathing water that discharge
treated sewage to the River Lune and Oxcliffe Beck. Recent improvements have been
made and a campaign is on-going to ensure the caravan parks do not impact bathing
water quality.
The ‘Call of Nature’ campaign was run by Morecambe Bay Partnership with the support
of the North West Catchment Partnerships, which resulted in the development of user
friendly materials to educate private sewage treatment plant owners into maintenance
requirement and ways to identify causes for concern. Materials were developed as printed
documents but also available on the web and mobile friendly web page at http://www.callofnature.info/
Morecambe South beach lies on the southern side of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire. The
catchment inland from the bathing water is urban but changes to agricultural land
use further inland.
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 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.