2024 Bathing Water Profile for Sennen
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Sennen Cove is 1.6 kilometres northeast of Lands End in Cornwall. It is a large sandy beach resort, approximately 940 metres wide, backed by sand dunes. There are two small streams that flow onto the beach and disperse over the sand.
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Cornwall
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Cornwall
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There is an emergency/storm overflow from the Sennen pumping station, that discharges to the sea approximately 600m west of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The operation of the overflow can lead to a temporary drop in water quality at Sennen. 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/
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The South West Water sewage treatment scheme for Sennen, which provides secondary treatment, was completed in 2006. Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at the Sennen Cove pumping station by April 2011.
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2024 Bathing Water Profile for Sennen
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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 18% of visits, with 79% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
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For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, phytoplankton (microscopic algae) was not noted at this site. 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.
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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 Sennen
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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Bathing water quality may reduce during or after periods of heavy rainfall due to occasional discharges from a storm overflow.
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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 the bathing water profile.
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The outfall from Sennen STW, discharges to the sea approximately 600m west of the Environment Agency monitoring point. This discharge is 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 Sennen 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 36% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The catchment surrounding Sennen is approximately 150 hectares. There is a small stream 400m long that discharges close to the Environment Agency monitoring point and disappears into the sand. A second larger stream 800m long flows through the dunes and onto the beach 400m north of the Environment Agency monitoring point. Land use is mostly urban containing a number of small villages with some arable land on the southern slopes. The catchment lies within part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
