Burnham Jetty North is within Bridgwater Bay, part of the Somerset coast overlooking
the Bristol Channel. It is a sand and mud beach resort, approximately 2.2 kilometres
wide and backed by a sea defence wall. The beach has a shallow slope and a very large
tidal range (11 metres). At low tide, the sea lies up to half a kilometre from the
beach, inaccesible on foot due to the dangerous intertidal mudflats. The rivers Brue
and Parrett both flow into the Bay just south of the bathing water. Bridgwater Bay
is a National Nature Reserve; an important habitat for wading birds and many rare
insects.
There are no storm or emergency overflows directly affecting Burnham Jetty North bathing
water. Within the catchment there are storm and emergency overflows that discharge
to the rivers and ditches. Closest to the bathing water are the Highbridge storm tanks
which discharge to the tidal River Brue, and West Huntspill STW which has an emergency
overflow to the River Parrett. The overflows can lead to a drop in water quality in
the rivers and at the bathing water. 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 discharges from West Huntspill sewage
treatment works (STW) and Bridgwater STW. The Wessex Water sewage treatment scheme
for West Huntspill, which provides secondary treatment, was partially completed in
1997. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection was added in 2000. The Wessex Water sewage treatment
scheme for Bridgwater, which provides secondary treatment and UV disinfection, was
also completed in 2000.
Improvements were made to the storm overflows at three pumping stations in Bridgwater
by the end of 2002, and the storage capacity of the Highbridge storm tanks was increased
in 2004 to reduce discharge frequency and volume. Improvements were made to eight
storm overflows in Bridgwater and a storm overflow in Burnham in 2005.
The Environment Agency has been working with Wessex Water to review sewerage performance
within the catchment area. Wessex Water added ultra-violet (UV) treatment to the storm-related
discharge from Highbridge storm tanks in February 2016. Works to increase storm storage
capacity to reduce the occurrence of wet weather sewage spills have also been completed
during 2017/18 at Sloway Lane Pumping Station near Highbridge and 6 other locations
in Bridgwater.
Improvements to existing sewage treatment processes were completed in 2018 at Cannington
STW with increased storm storage capacity and the addition of UV treatment on the
final effluent discharge. Combwich STW ceased discharging to the estuary in 2018 and
is instead pumped to Cannington STW for treatment.
The Environment Agency is also working with Wessex Water to reduce infiltration of
surface water run‐off into combined sewers, further reducing the risk of sewage overflow
during wet weather.
The Environment Agency will continue to make recommendations for further improvements
to protect and improve the bathing water quality.
The Environment Agency have been working over a number of years to investigate the
sources of pollution to this bathing water. In recent years, the Environment Agency
has carried out investigative sampling in the catchments of the River Brue, Parrett
and Huntspill along with walkovers in wet and dry conditions. A spatial sampling programme
along the length of the beach has also been completed to identify locations of higher
pollution levels.
Investigations have shown both agricultural and sewage sources contribute to the poor
water quality at Burnham. We have worked with Wessex Water to investigate the impact
of their assets on bathing water quality which has resulted in a number of improvement
to their assets.
In recent years we have also worked with Wessex Water Streamclean to investigate,
identify and improve misconnections to the surface water system. Each year we carry
out pre-season surveys of the rivers and outfalls that have potential to impact the
beach.
The Environment Agency continues to work with Natural England and farmers and landowners
in the river catchments through the Catchment Sensitive Farming programme to encourage
better farming practices and improve water quality.
The urban area of Burnham immediately behind the beach is served by a combined (surface
and sewer) system. Surface water can flow into the River Brue and onto the beach from
highways drains, surface water drains and rhynes (drainage ditches). This can affect
bathing water quality, particularly after periods of rainfall. The Environment Agency
have regularly inspected and sampled surface water outfalls.
As with many bathing waters close to urban centres, significant proportion of bathing
water pollutants originate from poor practices by local residents, businesses and
visitors. The Environment Agency has worked closely with Sedgemoor District Council
on several public engagement activities since 2012 to promote best practice and reduce
the impact of misconnections, poorly disposed of sanitary products, pet waste and
other issues that block sewers or directly contaminate bathing water.
The Environment Agency, Sedgemoor District Council, Wessex Water and Dorset Coastal
Forum are supporting the 'Litter Free Coast & Sea Somerset' project led by Severn
Estuary Partnership to engage tourists and the Burnham community on bathing water
issues and solutions.
For the four year (2015-2018) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae)
was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 15% of visits, with 74% 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
does have seaweed on the beach but not in significant quantities. Groynes and rocks,
platforms or other fixed objects may also develop a covering of seaweed which can
be slippery.
Wrongly connected domestic waste water pipes can also affect the bathing water quality.
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.
The Environment Agency has identified many misconnected local properties across the
catchment, and continues to work with Wessex Water to locate and rectify these problems.
For the four year (2015-2018) 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 1% 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. Short term pollution is caused
when heavy rainfall or high tides wash 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
and tidal patterns and will issue a pollution risk warning if high tides or 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.
44 warnings advising against swimming due to an increase risk of short term pollution
were issued in 2018 for Burnham Jetty North bathing water. These warnings were issued
because of the effects of heavy rain and high tides on the water quality.
The River Brue and the River Parrett are the main sources of freshwater to Bridgwater
Bay. The River Brue enters the sea one kilometre south of the Environment Agency monitoring
point. The River Parrett enters the sea two kilometres south of the Environment Agency
monitoring point but flows across the beach at low tide. During and after periods
of heavy rainfall, runoff from agricultural and urban areas is greatly increased,
and the quality of the rivers and the bathing water may be reduced.
Sewage from Burnham area is pumped to West Huntspill STW for treatment. The outfall
from Bridgwater, West Huntspill and Cannington STW discharge into the River Parrett
at least two kilometres from Burnham Jetty beach. Wessex Water added UV treatment
to the Highbridge storm tanks discharge in February 2016 and have added extra wet
weather storage and UV treatment at Cannington STW which was completed in April 2018.
These discharges are 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 Burnham Jetty
North for the four year (2015-2018) assessment period where data is available, sewage
debris was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 1% of visits, with
11% of visits noting the presence of sewage debris. Litter was assessed as being sufficient
to be objectionable for 19% of visits, with 72% of visits noting the presence of litter.
Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
The Burnham Jetty North catchment is partly agricultural with areas of land used for
livestock. During and after periods of heavy rainfall, runoff 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.
There is some light industry within this catchment. The Environment Agency has worked
with businesses on industrial estates in Bridgwater and Highbridge to ensure there
is no affect on the bathing water quality from these sites.
There are some caravan parks, houses and small businesses that are not on the main
sewerage system and have private sewage treatment arrangements. If any concerns arise,
the Environment Agency will investigate and request immediate remedial action from
those responsible.
The catchment surrounding Burnham Jetty North is approximately 222,000 hectares. The
Parrett, Huntspill and Brue rivers flow from the steep uplands of the Quantocks, Blackdown
Hills and Mendips. The rivers flow north and west into the extensive low-lying floodplain
of the Somerset Levels and Moors through various man-made drainage channels to the
Severn Estuary at Bridgwater Bay. The steep catchment means rain runs off rapidly
into the rivers. Rivers and other streams in the Somerset Levels are controlled by
sluices which manage the volume of freshwater entering Bridgwater Bay
The River Parrett is 60km long and flows through Dorset and Somerset to its mouth
at Burnham-on-Sea. The main tributaries of the Parrett are the rivers Isle, Tone,
Yeo and Cary. The Tone joins the tidal Parrett 30km inland at Burrowbridge. The River
Cary rises at Castle Cary and flows west into the man-made King’s Sedgemoor Drain
at Henley Corner. It continues across the Somerset Moors and joins the tidal River
Parrett downstream of Bridgwater at Dunball Sluice.
The River Huntspill is a man-made river in the Sedgemoor district of the Somerset
Levels that joins the River Parrett just south of Highbridge. The river was built
to act as a long reservoir to provide an all year-round supply of water for the Royal
Ordnance Factory near Puriton, as well as to help drain parts of the lower Brue Valley.
The River Brue rises in Somerset and falls quickly in a narrow valley to a point just
beyond Bruton where it is joined by the River Pitt. To the northeast of Glastonbury,
the Brue is joined by various man-made drainage channels before entering the Bristol
Channel.
The catchment is mostly rural, with urban areas making up only five per cent of the
total. The majority of the land is used for large scale agriculture, with more than
1000 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.