Bridlington North Beach is a large resort beach on the East Yorkshire coast. The
beach is approximately 1.5 kilometres in length with a gentle slope and at low tide
a large area of the beach is exposed. The beach is backed by tourist establishments
on the seafront and the town of Bridlington. It lies to the north of Bridlington
Harbour, a commercial shellfish harbour into which The Gypsey Race, a chalk stream,
drains after passing through the centre of Bridlington.
Bathing water quality may sometimes be affected by storm, emergency and surface water
outfalls. Storm overflows may operate during and following periods of heavy rainfall
when the sewer system becomes overwhelmed by the amount of surface water entering
it. The overflows prevent sewage from backing up pipes and flooding properties.
As part of a major investment in their infrastructure at Bridlington, Yorkshire Water
designed a new scheme to reduce the amount of storm effluent being discharged into
the bathing water and the North Sea. The work was completed in December 2014 and
included the installation of a new long-sea outfall in the South Bay which intercepts
storm effluents that had previously discharged into the Gypsey Race.
There are two storm overflows in the North Bay to the north of the bathing water monitoring
point. When these outfalls are operating during heavy rain they discharge diluted
and screened effluent into the North Sea. While the operation of these outfalls can
still result in a decline in the bathing water quality, the impacts are likely to
be much less compared to previous years.
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/
Since 1998, the Environment Agency has worked closely with Yorkshire Water to identify
and deliver significant investment in the sewerage infrastructure around Bridlington.
The Environment Agency works with the water companies, local authorities and others
to investigate any sources of contamination and to improve water quality at local
bathing waters.
During 2018 and 2019 the EA undertook water quality investigations in the Gypsey Race,
Bridlington Harbour and Bridlington Bay to try and identify sources of bacteria which
may be impacting on water quality at both Bridlington South and Bridlington North
beaches.
More recently the EA have undertaken an intensive monitoring project in Bridlington
Bay. Although the investigation over the summer of 2023 was aimed at investigating
water quality issues at Bridlington South it included monitoring at the Bridlington
North compliance point and also in the Harbour. All the samples are being analysed
by the EA National Laboratory Service, using Microbial Source Tracking (MST) techniques
to help us better understand the main sources of contamination at the beach. These
techniques help to identify and differentiate whether the bacteria in the water is
coming from sewage, agricultural sources, dogs and or birds.
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 3% of visits, with 59% of
visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). Environment Agency research suggests
the bathing water is not subject to an excess 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. Phytoplankton (microscopic algae)
naturally increase in number at certain times of the year. This process is known as
a phytoplankton bloom. The 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 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 9 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.
A step change improvement in water quality was identified in 2014 at Bridlington North
Beach due to improvements made to water company assets. Any monitoring samples collected
prior to this date were not used for classification of bathing water quality.
The Gypsey Race drains a largely agricultural area before it reaches Bridlington where
it receives urban run-off including two emergency overflows and this may result in
a temporary reduction in water quality following heavy rainfall. The Gypsey Race
drains into Bridlington Harbour which is situated between the Bridlington North and
Bridlington South Beach.
Bridlington Sewage Treatment Works was built in 2000 to ensure all effluents are treated
and disinfected to protect the bathing water quality. The treated effluent is discharged
into the North Sea in Bridlington South Bay via a long sea outfall, which allows better
dilution of pollutants in the water and reduces the impact of treated effluent on
bathing 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 Bridlington
North Beach for the four year (2020-2023) 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 36% of visits. Tarry residue
was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being
present on 11% of visits.
The Gypsey Race catchment is largely agricultural. The Environment Agency works with
farmers to promote best practice and reduce potential sources of contamination to
ensure pollution entering watercourses is minimised.
There is a treated trade discharge that enters the sea via a near-shore outfall pipe,
located approximately 1.8 km to the north of the bathing area at Bridlington North
Beach. Significant improvements have been made to the treatment process in recent
years, and the discharge is not thought to affect the designated bathing areas within
the bay. The Environment Agency continue to monitor effluent quality along with surface
water quality in the catchment.
The Yorkshire Bathing Water Partnership is working together to ensure Yorkshire's
bathing beaches meet or go beyond the requirements of the revised 2015 Bathing Water
Directive. The Partnership comprises the Environment Agency, East Riding of Yorkshire
Council, North Yorkshire Council and Yorkshire Water.
A tactical group comprising officers from all organisations meets on a regular basis
to discuss issues, actions and potential resolutions at all our coastal bathing waters.
The Gypsey Race, a predominantly groundwater fed chalk stream has a hydrological catchment
area of 26.6 square kilometres of mostly agricultural land dominated by arable farming.
As it approaches Bridlington at Woldgate it passes through land once used as a landfill
site which has now reverted to grassland. It then flows through a large recreational
area on the outskirts of the town before passing through residential and commercial
areas, eventually entering the sea via Bridlington Harbour. As the harbour is known
to have connectivity with Bridlington North bathing water, the bathing water may be
impacted by water quality issues in the Gypsey Race and harbour.
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 water quality improvements 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.
