Clevedon Beach is on the Somerset coast overlooking the Bristol Channel. It is a sand
and pebble beach, approximately 850 metres wide, backed by the promenade and the town.
There is a marine lake at the beach which is filled by sea water on high tides.
There is an emergency/storm overflow from Clevedon Beach pumping station that discharges
to the sea within 200m of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The operation of
this overflow can lead to a drop in 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/
In the past this bathing water was affected by sewage from the Kingston Seymour sewage
treatment works (STW) that discharged primary treated effluent. The scheme for Kingston
Seymour which provides secondary treatment and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection, was
completed by Wessex Water in 2000.
As part of their investment programme Wessex Water are reviewing the performance and
impact of their sewerage assets within the Clevedon area to determine what improvements,
if any, would be needed to improve bathing water quality further to Excellent. These
investigations include monitoring the quality of discharges and modelling the potential
impact on bathing water quality. This is part of a National requirement on all Water
Companies to better understand the impact of their assets on bathing water quality
and what future investment might be required to meet Good and Excellent standards.
This work is due to be completed in September 2022.
In 2022 we updated the location of our bathing water quality monitoring point to reflect
where most people use this beach.
For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 3% of visits, with 92% of
visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). The bathing water can become covered
with large amounts of seaweed, depending on tides and the weather. This bathing water
has a history of large amounts of seaweed.
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) 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 24 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.
The outfall from Kingston Seymour STW discharges three and a half kilometres from
Clevedon bathing water. The discharge is UV disinfected and designed to protect bathing
water quality.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every
visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Clevedon Beach
for the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris
was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 2% of visits, with 2% of
visits noting the presence of sewage debris. Litter was not assessed as being sufficient
to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 79% of visits. Tarry residue
was not noted at this site.
The catchment surrounding Clevedon Beach is approximately 22,600 hectares. It includes
the rivers Banwell, Oldbridge, Yeo, Kenn, Blind Yeo and Land Yeo, as well as the Uphill
Great Rhine, the Drove Rhine and the Portbury Ditch. These streams are characterised
by having short upland reaches and long lowland reaches with very low gradients. The
majority of the land is used for large scale agriculture, with more than 50 farms.
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.
