Scarborough South Beach is a popular resort beach situated on the North 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. The beach
is backed by a promenade with a large number of tourist establishments, including
restaurants, takeaways, amusements and shops. Above these and at the top of a steep
cliff lies the rest of the town of Scarborough. To the north of the bathing water
is Scarborough harbour a busy working harbour with associated buildings. Beyond this
is a headland upon which sits Scarborough Castle and to the north of this Scarborough
North Bay.
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 quality at Scarborough South. 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 in Scarborough North Bay. 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.
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 Scarborough.
Following significant investment by Yorkshire Water to improve the sewerage infrastructure
in Scarborough which was completed in 2014, the Environment Agency has undertaken
a number of water quality investigations in and around Scarborough South Bay to try
to better identify and understand the sources and factors that are driving the issues
with the continued Poor water quality at the bathing water.
The use of Microbial Source Tracking (MST) techniques which comprise a group of methods
that are used to discriminate between human and non-human sources of faecal contamination
in water, has shown that seabirds, sewage, and dogs and to a much lesser extent ruminants
can all impact on the water quality at different times.
A microbiological investigation carried out in 2016 by the EA National Laboratory
Service also showed that an industrial effluent can sometimes be present at the bathing
water, although it was not possible to quantify the impact of this source on the bathing
water. The conclusion of this investigation was that the issues at the bathing water
are complex with water quality impacted at different times by different sources of
bacteria.
During 2019 work was undertaken to assess water quality in both Scarborough Harbour
and Scalby Beck to the north of Scarborough North Bay. Monitoring work in the harbour
showed there was little of concern with regards to water quality at that time. Whilst
investigations including water quality monitoring in Scalby Beck and Burniston Beck
identified several areas for further investigation.
In 2020 with support from the EA and at the time Scarborough Borough Council, Yorkshire
Water funded the Centre for Research into Environment and Health (CREH) to develop
a water quality prediction model for both Scarborough South and Bridlington South.
The project included a period of intensive bacteria monitoring carried out over the
summer at the Scarborough South compliance point and the installation of a number
of environmental monitors and collection of a large amount of environmental data.
The outcome of this work again showed that the water quality issues at the bathing
water are complex.
In 2023 further MST analysis was undertaken on a number of compliance samples and
again this showed the presence of seabird and human markers in a large proportion
of the samples whilst the presence of dogs and ruminants was found in only a limited
number of samples.
The EA, with funding from partners, is proposing to carry out much more detailed investigative
work at Scarborough South over the summer of 2024 using a number of different microbiological
techniques. The results of these investigations will be used to inform future interventions
and actions at the bathing water.
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 1% of visits, with 40% 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.
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 in 2014 as a result of improvements
made to Yorkshire Waters assets. This means that compliance monitoring data collected
prior to this date was not used in bathing water classifications.
Streams and rivers are typically affected by sewage or surface water runoff from urban
areas and agricultural land after periods of heavy rain. Scalby Beck passes through
a mostly agricultural catchment however there are a number of emergency overflows
that discharge into it before it enters the North Sea to the North of Scarborough
North Bay this may result in reduced water quality in the river following heavy rainfall.
Scarborough Sewage Treatment Works was built in 2000 to ensure all effluents are treated
and disinfected to protect the bathing water quality. This long sea outfall is located
to the north of Scarborough North Bay and the outfall pipe discharges one kilometre
offshore which helps to reduce the impact of the treated effluent on bathing water
quality at Scarborough. The sewage works received significant investment to improve
its infrastructure with this work being completed in April 2014.
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 (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 18% 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's role is to work with farmers to reduce the effects of
farming on water quality.
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. Major investment has recently
taken place at the site to greatly improve the quality of the final effluent.
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 catchment draining onto the bathing water is approximately 3.5 square kilometres
in area. It is mostly urban in nature and includes a portion of the town of Scarborough,
the promenade, and a road with 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 role of the Environment Agency's 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.
