2024 Bathing Water Profile for Lepe
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Lepe beach, part of Lepe Country Park, is on the Hampshire coast with views over the Solent to the Isle of Wight. The beach is a mixture of sand and shingle, sloping down to a sandy area that extends out for some distance at low tide.
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Hampshire
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Hampshire
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The bathing water usually achieves a high water quality standard and investigations have not been necessary.
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There is a storm/emergency outfall within the catchment, approximately 3km inland, but there is no evidence that this source has any affect on bathing water compliance.
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Prior to 1999 treated sewage was discharged approximately 4 km to the northeast of Lepe bathing water, from Calshot outfall, but flows were subsequently transferred to Ashlett Creek sewage treatment works which was upgraded in 2000 to discharge further treated sewage into Southampton Water.
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For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 7% of visits, with 43% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). The shore can become covered with seaweed, depending on tides and the weather. Groynes, rocks and other fixed objects may have a covering of seaweed which can be slippery.
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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.
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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 9% of visits. Microscopic algae (phytoplankton) 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.
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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.
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2024 Bathing Water Profile for Lepe
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The Black Water stream inputs into the bathing water. There are stream/ditch inputs 900 metres and 2.3 km east of the bathing water sampling site that do not contain known pollution sources. 1.4 km to the west is the mouth of the Beaulieu estuary containing various inputs including treated sewage. There is no evidence that these sources affect bathing water compliance.
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The treated Sewage Treatment Works discharge from Ashlett Creek discharges into Southampton Water approximately 7.5km from the bathing water. Pennington Sewage Treatment Works discharges further treated effluent 14 km southeast of the bathing water. Both discharges are designed to protect bathing water compliance.
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Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Lepe 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 53% of visits. Tarry residue was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 2% of visits.
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There are two small, private, treated sewage discharges to ground within the catchment, near the western end of the bathing water, but there is no evidence that these sources affect bathing water compliance.
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The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is approximately 1850 hectares and drains into the Black Water stream. The catchment is a mixture of urban and rural areas.
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Lepe
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Lepe
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Sampling point at Lepe
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445600
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50.78427689171927
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-1.354514214476178
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98500
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Sampling point at Lepe
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p152 dT23 h59 m59 s
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2024 05 01 t00:00:00
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2024-05-01T00:00:00
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2024 09 30 t23:59:59
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2024-09-30T23:59:59
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2024 17000:1
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Discharges from sewage treatment works have improved substantially in England since the 1980s.
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