Bridlington South Beach is a large beach resort situated on the Yorkshire coast. It
is 1.5 kilometres in length with a gentle slope. At low tide a large area of the beach
is exposed, and the water's edge can be some distance away. The southern end of the
beach adjoins Wilsthorpe Beach. The seafront is backed by a promenade and tourist
establishments and behind this residential properties and the town of Bridlington.
The Gypsey Race, the stream that runs through the centre of Bridlington, drains into
Bridlington Harbour, a commercial harbour. The harbour entrance is to the north of
Bridlington South bathing beach.
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 can become overwhelmed by the amount of surface water entering
it. The overflows prevent sewage from backing up pipes and flooding properties.
Yorkshire Water designed a new scheme to reduce the amount of storm effluent being
discharged into the bathing water and the North Sea. There is one emergency overflow
that discharges effluent into the bathing water. There is also a new long-sea outfall
that intercepts storm effluents which previously discharged into the Gypsey Race.
The scheme including the connection and operation of the new long-sea outfall was
completed in December 2014 with the aim of improving bathing water quality at Bridlington
North and South Bays. There are two further storm overflows in the North Bay. When
these outfalls are operating 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.
Yorkshire Water is one of the organisations involved in the Yorkshire Bathing Water
Partnership. The partnership is working together to ensure Yorkshire's bathing beaches
meet or go beyond the requirements of the revised Bathing Water Directive in 2015.
The Environment Agency, Scarborough Borough Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council,
North Yorkshire County Council and other interested parties are also involved in the
partnership. 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 have worked closely with Yorkshire Water to identify
and deliver significant investment in the sewerage infrastructure around Bridlington
South Beach.
The Environment Agency regularly carry out investigations to identify sources of pollution
in catchments by monitoring the quality of streams, undertaking site inspections and
providing advice on compliance with regulations and good practice as appropriate.
Since 2018 the Environment Agency has undertaken water quality investigations in the
Gypsey Race, Bridlington Harbour and Bridlington Bay to try and identify sources bacteria
which may be impacting on water quality at Bridlington South beach.
During the summer of 2020 monitoring work was also undertaken to complement a Yorkshire
Water project aiming to look to develop a water quality prediction model for both
Scarborough South and Bridlington South. Over the summer of 2020, 60 days of intensive
monitoring was carried out at the Bridlington South compliance point. In conjunction
with this detailed meteorological data and Yorkshire Water asset operational information
was also collected with the Environment Agency providing both water quality information
via a Sonde (continuous water quality monitor) placed in the Gypsey Race and water
quantity information in the form of detailed hydrological (river flow and levels and
rainfall) for the catchment.
For the four year (2019-2022) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being
present on 24% of visits. 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 (2019-2022) 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, tide, sunlight 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 2 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
South Beach, due to improvements made to water company assets. Any monitoring samples
collected prior to this date is not used for classification of bathing water quality.
Streams are typically affected by sewage or surface water runoff from urban areas
and livestock farming. The Gypsey Race drains into Bridlington Harbour which is situated
between Bridlington North and Bridlington South beaches. Following heavy rain the
Gypsey Race may sometimes have reduced water quality.
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 sea 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
South Beach 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 33% of visits. Tarry residue
was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being
present on 63% of visits.
The Gypsey Race catchment is largely agricultural. Part of the Environment Agency
role is to work with farmers to reduce the effects of farming on water quality. The
Environment Agency provide advice to farmers on how to comply with regulations and
good practice on farms 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 2.5 kilometres to the north of the bathing area at Bridlington
South 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 Gypsey Race, a chalk stream which is predominantly groundwater fed has a hydrological
catchment area of 26.6 square kilometres which is mostly agricultural land dominated
by arable farming. As it enters Bridlington it passes through a large recreational
area on the outskirts prior to passing through a residential then commercial area
before draining into Bridlington Harbour. The harbour is known to have connectivity
with Bridlington North bathing water, and there may be indirect connectivity with
Bridlington South bathing water under certain conditions.
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.