The bathing water site, known as the Nidd at the Lido Knaresborough is located on
the River Nidd to the southern end of the town of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire.
The bathing water is situated in a large pool between 2 weirs with access to the river
from a private caravan park.
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.
The overflows prevent sewage from backing up pipes and flooding properties.
Abbey Mill CSO storm discharge outfall is located just below the weir at the northern
end of the bathing water.
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.
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.
There are no active pollution risk forecasts made at this bathing water. However any
bathing water has the potential to be affected by a pollution incident and if this
occurs a pollution risk warning with associated advice against bathing will be issued
on this website.
There are no treated sewage discharges in the area of the bathing water. Harrogate
North Sewage Works discharges into Oak Beck approximately 10km upstream of the bathing
water.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every
visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar.
The bathing water site lies to the southeast of the town of Knaresborough. The catchment
above Knaresborough is mostly rural with several small centres of population including
Pateley Bridge and Summerbridge and is primarily a mixture of low intensity livestock
farming. The catchment above Birstwith, 11 miles above the bathng water, lies within
the Nidderdale Outstanding Area of Natural Beauty. The surrounding hillside contains
a number of old mine workings and is scattered with springs. Gouthwaite Reservoir
towards the headwaters of the catchment is a designated Site of Special Scientific
Interest (SSSI).
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.
