Scarborough South Beach is a popular resort beach situated on the Yorkshire coast.
It is 0.5 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. To the north of the
bathing water is Scarborough harbour. The beach is backed by a promenade with a large
number of tourist establishments, including restaurants, amusements and shops behind
this at the top of a steep cliff is the rest of the town of Scarborough.
The quality of the bathing water may sometimes be affected by storm, emergency and
surface water outfalls. Storm overflows may operate during and after heavy rainfall.
This is 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.
There are a number of storm emergency and surface water outfalls that may have an
affect on bathing water compliance. One storm overflow outfall is located at the
southern end of the bathing water and there are a number of other outfalls located
to the north of the bathing water. When these outfalls are operating they discharge
diluted and screened effluent onto the beach and into the North Sea and may result
in reduced bathing water quality. Yorkshire Water has designed a new scheme to improve
treated and storm effluents which was completed in April 2014.
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 Scarborough
North Beach. This has resulted in major improvements in its quality.
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.
The Environment Agency regularly carry out investigations to identify sources of pollution
in the catchment. The Environment Agency do this by monitoring the quality of streams
and visiting sites where the Environment Agency advise on compliance with regulations
and good practice as appropriate.
During 2015/16 intensive investigations and pollution prevention inspections were
carried out by the Environment Agency and partners of the Yorkshire Bathing Water
Partnership around south bay in order to better understand and minimise background
levels of pollution.
During 2020 Yorkshire Water funded a project looking to develop a water quality prediction
model for both Scarborough South and Bridlington South. Over the summer of 2020,
60 days of intensive bacteria monitoring was carried out at the Scarborough South
compliance point. In conjunction with this detailed meteorological data and Yorkshire
Water asset operational information was also collected and the EA provided both water
quality information via a Sonde (continuous water quality monitor) placed in Scalby
Beck and water quantity information in the form of detailed hydrological (river flow
and levels and rainfall) for the Scalby Beck 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 41% 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.
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.
A step change improvement in water quality was been identified from 31/03/2014 as
a result of improvements made to Yorkshire Waters assets. Any monitoring data that
was collected prior to this date will not be used in the bathing water classification.
Streams are typically affected by sewage or surface water runoff from urban areas
and livestock farming. Scalby Beck enters the North Sea to the North of Scarborough.
Following heavy rain it may sometimes have reduced water quality.
Scarborough Sewage Treatment Works was built in 2000 to ensure all effluents are treated
and disinfected to protect the bathing water quality. The outfall pipe has been relocated
to one kilometre offshore which helps to reduce the impact of the effluent on bathing
water quality at Scarborough. This long sea outfall is located 3.5 kilometres north
of the bathing water. With the aim to achieve Excellent classification under the
revised Bathing Water Directive, the works received significant investment to improve
the infrastructure, and this was completed in April 2014. The investment will improve
the quality of the treated effluent and reduce the amount of storm effluent being
discharged into the sea.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every
visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Scarborough
South Bay 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 2% of visits. Tarry residue
was not noted at this site.
The Scalby Beck catchment to the north of Scarborough 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 discharge from one food production plant that may impact on bathing water
quality. The treated effluent enters the sea through an off-shore outfall pipe located
three kilometres to the south of Scarborough South Bay. To protect bathing water quality
at Scarborough, the Environment Agency are working with both the Company running the
plant and Yorkshire Water to ensure that the effluent is adequately treated before
it is released to the sea.
The catchment draining onto the bathing water is approximately 3.5 square kilometres
in area. This is mostly urban in nature and includes a portion of the town of Scarborough,
the promenade and road and the busy working harbour just to the north of the beach.
The bathing water itself is bordered by a number of tourist facilities including amusements,
shops and food outlets.
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 into 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.