Teignmouth beach is close to the mouth of the Teign Estuary on the south coast of
Devon. It is a sandy beach resort, approximately one kilometre wide, with a pier,
backed by the promenade and the town.
There is a storm overflow at the Railway Station that discharges to the sea half a
kilometre northeast of the Environment Agency monitoring point. The operation of the
overflow can lead to a temporary 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/
The South West Water sewage treatment scheme for Teignmouth was identified for the
protection of Teignmouth and Shaldon bathing waters. The scheme was completed at the
end of 2000 and collects sewage from Newton Abbot, the Aller Valley, Milber, Combeinteignhead,
Shaldon, Teignmouth, Bishopsteignton and Kingsteignton. Sewage receives secondary
treatment and is discharged through a two kilometre long sea outfall.
Stokeinteignhead was connected to the Teignmouth sewerage system in 2003. Improvements
to 24 combined sewer overflows (CSO) in the Teign Estuary including 14 in Newton Abbot
and 10 in Teignmouth were completed by the end of March 2004. A further 18 CSOs including
12 in Newton Abbot and six in Teignmouth were improved by the end of March 2005.
Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at the Railway Station
CSO by April 2011, and further work to reduce the frequency of discharges from this
CSO was completed by May 2015.
The following discharges into the Teign Estuary have also been improved to protect
shellfish waters: East Ogwell STW (March 2018), Chudleigh Knighton STW (March 2018),
Summerhill pumping station overflow (December 2017) and Chudleigh STW storm overflows
overflows (December 2017).
The Environment Agency have carried out extensive investigations. The most recent
investigation concluded that a combined sewer overflow (CSO), birds roosting on the
Teignmouth Pier, and polluted rainwater runoff from across the town, all affect bathing
water quality in roughly equal proportions. Teignmouth Town bathing water is next
to Teignmouth Pier. Birds roost on and under the pier and their faeces can affect
bathing water quality. Some parts of the beach are also used by dog walkers. The Environment
Agency will continue to work with Teignbridge District Council to monitor the water
quality at Teignmouth Town bathing water.
The urban area of Teignmouth immediately behind the beach is served by a combined
(surface and sewer) system. The Environment Agency have regularly inspected and sampled
surface water outfalls, and have worked with the District Council to label surface
drains onto the beach so that potential pollution sources can be tracked back to their
source and appropriate actions taken. In 2015 the District Council, with support from
the Environment Agency, installed Bird Free gel to the underside the pier to deter
pigeons from roosting.
There is an active 'Love Your Beach' community group in Teignmouth. Through community
engagement events and local media the group encourage the public to take action to
improve water quality. Members of the group include representatives from the District
Council, Town Council, the Harbour Commission, South West Water and the Environment
Agency.
At the beginning of 2023 a meeting between the EA & local council took place to create
an action plan and identify sources of pollution.
The Local council have installed dog waste bins at every access point all year round
to encourage responsible dog ownership and reduce fouling, and signage goes up in
line with dog restriction timeframe.
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 66% of
visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). This bathing water does not have
a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
Wrongly connected domestic waste water pipes can also affect the bathing water quality.
We have checked the local sewerage system for misconnections and have worked with
Teignbridge District Council Environmental Health department to resolve any problems.
We have also worked with the District Council, South West Water and the private owner
of Teignmouth Pier to collect all surface drainage from the pier and convey it to
the foul sewerage system. These works were completed shortly before the start of the
2012 bathing season.
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.
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 5% 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 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 6 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 EA and SWW will be investigating water company asset performance, 2023 bathing
season bacterial sample results and reports of sewage on New Quay beach. A robohawk
is to be installed on the pier to discourage birds and reduce avian bacterial loading
Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff
from roads. The River Teign may affect bathing water quality but is not the main factor.
One arm of the Brimley Brook discharges to the northeast of the beach. In the past
it has been contaminated by wrongly connected domestic waste water pipes from which
it remains vulnerable. There is also a potential for the Brimley Brook to affect the
bathing water at certain states of the tide.
Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every
visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Teignmouth Town
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 noted at
this site.
There are more than 20 farms in the Teign catchment. During and after periods of heavy
rainfall, runoff to the River Teign from agricultural land is greatly increased, and
the quality of the bathing water can be reduced.
There are caravan parks and hotels in the wider catchment area that are not on the
main sewerage system and have private sewage treatment arrangements. The Environment
Agency does not believe these are a source of pollution to the bathing water. If any
concerns arise, the Environment Agency will investigate and request immediate remedial
action from those responsible.
The Environment Agency has worked with Teignmouth Pier owners to ensure roof drainage
from the pier is now connected to the main sewer and treated before entering the bathing
water.
The catchment surrounding Teignmouth is approximately 52,600 hectares. The Brimley
Brook is approximately 1.8km long and is mostly channelled underground as it flows
through Teignmouth. About half way down its length the brook splits into two branches
and one arm enters the sea to the northeast of the bathing water. The Teign Estuary
discharges approximately half a kilometre to the south of the bathing water. The 42km
long River Teign rises on North Dartmoor and its main tributaries are the Aller Brook
and rivers Lemon and Bovey. The Aller Brook sub catchment is the most populated.
In the lower reaches of the Teign the floodplain is wide and gently sloping. At Newton
Abbot the Teign enters a long narrow estuary which is the most easterly of Devon's
drowned river valleys (rias). The coastal landscape at Teignmouth and Shaldon is characterised
by red sandstone cliffs. The catchment is mostly agricultural, with more than 20 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.
