Thorpe Bay is a sandy/shingle beach that stretches from Eastern Esplanade by Southchurch
Park through to Thorpe Bay Yacht Club. The beach is gently sloping with a long tidal
range.
This bathing water may be affected by discharges which can occur when heavy rainfall
overwhelms the sewerage system and causes diluted sewage to overflow. Within the wider
catchment of the bathing water there are several storm and emergency overflows, including
a storm discharge directly onto the bathing water beach. Improvements by AWS to the
local sewerage network has reduced the likelihood of a storm discharge, however during
and after periods of rainfall these discharges could have an adverse affect on bathing
water quality.
AWS own and manage assets which may cause pollution, mainly through blockages and
discharges from their sewer network. The Environment Agency has worked with AWS to
investigate problems with the water quality of this bathing water. This led to improvements
to storm overflows which AWS completed in 1998. Since 2013 both the Environment Agency
and AWS have undertaken monitoring of outfalls along the Southend coastline to assess
their impact on bathing water quality. These actions have improved the bathing water
quality. Extensive work by AWS was completed by April 2017. This included modelling
pollution sources, rectifying misconnections and increasing storm overflow capacity.
The Environment Agency and AWS meet regularly to discuss operational issues, including
those that may affect this bathing water.
The Environment Agency investigated the catchment in order to identify possible sources
of pollution. Surveys were carried out between 2012 and 2019, including storm overflows,
surface water outfalls & tidal surveys. The Environment Agency introduced a DNA tracing
technique that helps us identify whether sources of faecal pollution are human or
animal, the results of these investigations led to Anglian Water Services (AWS) carrying
out measures to reduce the likelihood and amount of storm sewage being discharged.
The Environment Agency and AWS are also jointly investigating misconnected foul drainage
to surface water sewers in the catchment. This includes flow monitoring of the surface
water outfalls. The results of these investigations will be used by AWS to update
their modelling of pollution sources. A partnership group has been created with Southend
Borough Council, the Environment Agency & AWS to investigate ways to improve the bathing
water.
This bathing water catchment has a series of surface water outfalls that drain surface
water from the surrounding area. The Environment Agency have undertaken regular inspection
and sampling of surface water outfalls over the years and results have shown that
the bathing water may be subject to reduced water quality after periods of rainfall.
The misconnection of domestic foul sewers to surface water drainage can affect the
water quality of rivers and the sea. If the Environment Agency continued investigations
indicate that reduced water quality is caused by misconnected foul drainage the Environment
Agency will work with the local authorities and AWS to investigate and rectify the
problem.
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 6% of visits, with 93% of
visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). The bathing water has potential
to become covered with seaweed, depending on tides and the weather. Groynes and rocks,
platforms or other fixed objects may also 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 2% of visits. Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) increase
in number at certain times of the year. This process is known as a phytoplankton bloom.
Blooms of phytoplankton can result in the water appearing discoloured or a foam forming
on the water.
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.
Thorpe Bay is situated in the outer Thames Estuary, but impacts from the River Thames
or any of the smaller surface waters that drain to the Thames estuary are not thought
to be significant in terms of bathing water quality for this bathing water.
Southend Sewage Treatment Work's (STW) long sea outfall is located five kilometres
to the south of the bathing water so that bathing waters are protected.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every
visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Southend Thorpe
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 86% of visits. Tarry residue
was not noted at this site.
There are a small number of farms in the bathing water catchment, the majority of
which are arable. Problems with Bathing water quality in the Southend area are not
believed to be linked to this sector and therefore no specific work with this sector
has taken place.
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.
