Jubilee Beach is in the centre of Southend-on Sea, between the famous pier and the
Sea-Life Adventure Centre. It's a large shingle beach, backed by a busy esplanade
- close to many shops and amusements.
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 Anglian Water
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.
The Environment Agency has worked with Anglian Water to investigate problems with
the water quality of this bathing water. This led to improvements to storm overflows
which Anglian Water completed in 1998. In 2005, further storm overflows were investigated,
and improvements to the local sewer network were completed. Since 2013 both the Environment
Agency and Anglian Water have undertaken monitoring of outfalls along the Southend
coastline to assess their impact on bathing water quality. During 2015 to 2020, Anglian
Water were involved in extensive work, and included modelling pollution sources, rectifying
misconnections and increasing storm overflow capacity. Under the programme of works
for Anglian Water (from 2020 to 2022) investigations within the catchment were carried
out. This will help to identify where bathing water improvements may be needed in
the future.
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 carrying out measures
to reduce the likelihood and amount of storm sewage being discharged. The Environment
Agency and Anglian Water 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 Anglian Water
to update their modelling of pollution sources. A partnership group has been created
with Southend Borough Council, the Environment Agency & Anglian Water to investigate
ways to improve the bathing water.
A partnership group between the Environment Agency, Southend Borough Council and Anglian
Water has been formed. The aim of the partnership is to work together to better understand
risks to bathing water quality and put measures in place to make improvements.
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 5% of visits, with 88% 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 noted at this site. 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.
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 17 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.
There is a stream which enters the beach through a culvert and can be seen on the
map to the east of the sample point. Environment Agency investigations show that this
stream may sometimes be a source of reduced water quality after heavy rainfall. Jubilee
Beach is in the outer Thames Estuary, but impacts from the River Thames and the smaller
surface waters that drain to the Thames Estuary are not thought to impact on bathing
water quality at Southend Jubilee.
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 Jubilee
for the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris
was not noted at this site. Litter was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable
for 2% of visits, with 81% of visits noting the presence of litter. 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.
