Heacham North Beach is part of an extensive beach line which stretches north from
the mudflats at Snettisham, up the eastern side of the Wash and along the Norfolk
coast. Heacham is a popular Norfolk coastal holiday resort, with a largely sandy beach.
It is one of the few beaches in Norfolk to face west. The majority of beach exposed
at low tide is very gently shelving. Tidal movement stirs up sand and sediment in
the sea and makes it look cloudy.
There are no emergency or storm sewerage overflows at Heacham with the potential to
affect the Heacham bathing water. There are long and short sea outfalls from a pumping
station at Hunstanton that may affect the quality of Heacham Bathing water in the
event of a spill continuing over many hours.
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/
Anglian Water have worked with the Environment Agency over a long period to help make
improvements to their sewerage infrastructure in and around Heacham. Improvements
have been carried out to local pumping stations, surface water outfalls and leaking
sewers. This is intended to reduce water company impacts upon the Heacham River and
Heacham bathing waters. The Environment Agency will continue to work with Anglian
Water to identify further areas for improvement to minimise the impacts of the sewerage
infrastructure. Further investigations were undertaken by Anglian Water in 2021/2022
and the results showed the largest input of bacteria is from birds and secondly from
the Heacham river.
The Environment Agency has worked with the water companies, universities, local authorities
and other partners to investigate sources of contamination and to improve water quality
in this area. This has included investigations into the impact Heacham’s urban area
has on water quality as well as investigations into the movement of water in the Wash.
The Environment Agency continue to work with others to manage ongoing issues and prevent
future pollution. The Environment Agency can use a DNA tracing technique to identify
whether sources of pollution are human or non-human. Analysis of samples taken between
2018 and 2022 by both the Environment Agency and Anglian Water show that faecal pollution
is from multiple sources including: ‘Human’, ‘Avian’, ‘Canine’ and ‘Bovine’. The most
significant presence has been found to be from sea birds; however, the DNA technique
cannot yet be used to ‘source apportion’ and DNA markers are not yet available for
all species (for example seals). Additional sampling continues to be undertaken by
the Environment Agency to further understand the deterioration of water quality at
this beach.
The Environment Agency continue to investigate surface water quality and identify
any sources of reduced quality water which may affect the bathing water. Regular liaison
meetings have been held throughout the bathing water season between the Environment
Agency, local authority, Anglian Water and other stakeholders to discuss ongoing work
and actions.
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 2% of visits, with 67% of
visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). Whilst seaweed (macro algae) is
regularly recorded as present, it is not observed in large quantities on the beach
and in the bathing water. However groynes and rocks, platforms or other fixed objects
may develop a covering of seaweed which can be slippery.
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 assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but
was observed as being present on 8% of visits. Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) naturally
increase in number at certain times of the year. This process is known as a phytoplankton
bloom. 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 36 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.
Additional monitoring continues to be carried out in the Heacham river to assess any
potential impacts this watercourse may have on the Heacham bathing water.
Heacham Sewage Treatment Works is located just south of Heacham (on Fenway) and discharges
to a tributary of the Heacham river.
Kings Lynn Sewage Treatment Works discharges to the Great Ouse estuary, approximately
14km southwest of Heacham.
Improvements including UV disinfection were put in place at Heacham Sewage Treatment
Works by Anglian Water in 1998. This has been effective in reducing bacteria numbers
from the sewage works into the Heacham river system. Current data indicates that the
UV treated effluent is present in some bathing water samples but is not contributing
viable bacteria.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every
visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Heacham 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 16% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at
this site.
The Environment Agency work with farmers to enhance farming practices, reduce run
off from farmlands, and improve their understanding of pollution issues. The Environment
Agency ongoing work includes giving advice on good farming practice as well as offering
farm visits and surveys of the area to identify potential contamination risks.
During 2023, full compliance visits to farms were undertaken. These checked compliance
with the regulations including those on slurry and manure storage, planning and use
of all fertilisers, checking livestock access to watercourses, as well as fuel oils,
soil test results for nutrients and checks on fields that are next to rivers.
Over the years, our investigations around Heacham have identified issues such as drainage
misconnections (that can lead to sewage entering surface water drains) or have identified
practices that could result in pollution to the Heacham River generally. The Environment
Agency continue to work with caravan park owners, businesses, and private residents
to ensure improvements are implemented where necessary.
The Heacham river and its tributaries flow through a largely rural catchment before
passing through the urban area of Heacham. Here there are several holiday home and
caravan parks. Within the urban area there are a number of surface water drainage
systems that enter the Heacham river. The river outflows to the sea 0.5km from the
North beach.
The Wash is the largest estuarine system in the UK. It is recognised as an internationally
important site for waders and wildfowl under the Ramsar Convention, particularly in
winter as well as during the spring and autumn migration, where it hosts hundreds
of thousands of shorebirds. There is also a large population of gulls in the area,
present all year round.
The area is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation
(SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA).
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.