2015 Bathing Water Profile for Lyme Regis Front Beach
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Lyme Regis Front Beach is to the west of Lyme Regis on the south coast of Devon. The Cobb is a curved breakwater that shelters Lyme Regis Harbour. The beach is a sandy resort, approximately 760 metres wide, close to the town.
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Dorset
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A project during 2009 highlighted properties wrongly connected to the surface water system discharging to the River Lim. These misconnections have been corrected. The Environment Agency investigations have shown that the bathing water quality at Front Beach can be affected by the River Lim at some states of the tide. The Environment Agency are using a DNA tracing technique to help us identify whether sources of faecal pollution are human or animal. The Environment Agency have found that a number of combined sewer overflows (CSO) affect the water quality of the River Lim after periods of heavy rainfall. There is also a surface water discharge pipe that affects the bathing water quality. This pipe is being repaired.
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The storm/emergency overflow from the Cobb pumping station, is just to the east of the Cobb breakwater. The operation of the overflow can lead to a drop in bathing water quality.
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In the past the bathing water was affected by untreated discharges to the River Lim and from a short untreated outfall at the Cobb. The scheme for sewage treatment at Lyme Regis was completed by South West Water in early 1995. Sewage is treated to a secondary standard with ultraviolet (UV) disinfection at Lyme Regis (Uplyme) sewage treatment works (STW), and discharged through a 600m outfall to the sea. Extensive sewerage improvements were also carried out at that time. Several combined sewer overflows (CSO) to the River Lim were removed in 2001.
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The urban area of Lyme Regis immediately behind the beach is served by a combined (surface and sewer) system. West Dorset District Council recently built an outfall which drains surface water from the surrounding area and discharges next to the Environment Agency monitoring point. The Environment Agency have shown that this outfall is contaminated with sewage. The Environment Agency are working with West Dorset District Council to rectify this problem.
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This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
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Wrongly connected domestic waste water pipes can also affect the bathing water quality. We have checked the local sewerage system for misconnections. We are working with West Dorset District Council and South West Water to identify and rectify any problems. 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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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.
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This bathing water is subject to short term pollution. Short term pollution is caused when heavy rainfall washes faecal material into the sea from livestock, sewage and urban drainage via rivers and streams. At this site the risk of encountering reduced water quality increases after rainfall and typically returns to normal after 1-3 days. The Environment Agency makes daily pollution risk forecasts based on rainfall patterns and will issue a pollution risk warning if heavy rainfall occurs to enable bathers to avoid periods of increased risk. The Environment Agency works to reduce the sources of this pollution through pollution prevention measures, work with agriculture and water companies. 14 warnings advising against swimming due to an increase risk of short term pollution were issued in 2015 for Lyme Regis Front Beach bathing water. These warnings were issued because of the effects of heavy rain on the water quality.
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2015 Bathing Water Profile for Lyme Regis Front Beach
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2015-09-30
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2015-05-01
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Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff from roads. The River Lim enters the sea close to the beach. The Environment Agency have monitored the River Lim since 1986 and found that water quality is worse after heavy rainfall.
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The Lyme Regis (Uplyme) STW outfall discharges 700m from the shore of this bathing water. The discharge is disinfected and designed to protect bathing water quality.
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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 Lyme Regis Front Beach for the four year (2012-2015) 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 67% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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There are more than 50 farms in the catchment, most of which are dairy and beef. During and after periods of heavy rainfall, runoff to the River Lim from agricultural land is greatly increased, and the quality of the bathing water can be reduced. The Environment Agency are working with Natural England and farmers on Catchment Sensitive Farming programmes to encourage better farming practices and improve water quality in the surrounding areas.
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The catchment surrounding Lyme Regis Front Beach is approximately 1800 hectares. Lyme Regis extends approximately two kilometres (km) inland to Uplyme. Both the upper and lower reaches of the River Lim are in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The steep catchment means rain runs off rapidly into the river and the quality of the bathing water may be reduced. Land use is mostly agricultural, with more than 50 farms.
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Lyme Regis Front Beach
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Lyme Regis Front Beach
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Sampling point at Lyme Regis Front Beach
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333900
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50.72248583256525
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-2.937779284373491
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91850
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Sampling point at Lyme Regis Front Beach
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p152 dT23 h59 m59 s
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2015 05 01 t00:00:00
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2015-05-01T00:00:00
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2015 09 30 t23:59:59
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2015-09-30T23:59:59
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2015 21500:1
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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 European 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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