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bathing water description |
The beach is situated within Cardigan Bay, just north of Aberystwyth. A sand and shingle,
westerly facing beach measuring approximately 500 metres wide and sheltered by steep
shale cliffs on either side. The designated sample point lies at the northern end
of the beach.
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county name |
Ceredigion |
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eso outfalls statement |
Clarach Bay is potentially impacted by storm, emergency and surface water outfalls
within the main freshwater inputs, particularly during heavy rainfall.
Within the catchment of Clarach Bay bathing water there are a number of storm, emergency
and surface water outfalls that discharge to the Afon Clarach. These protect domestic
properties from being flooded by sewage during heavy rainfall. However, sewer overflows
operating during and following periods of heavy rain can result in a fall in the quality
of the water in the Afon Clarach and at Clarach Bay bathing water.
In recent years telemetry has been installed in most of the overflows by the Water
Company. This telemetry has allowed Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to respond to warnings of
blockages in the sewage system and reduced the number of actual and potential overflows.
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history statement |
Natural Resources Wales has developed a good working relationship with Dŵr Cymru Welsh
Water and liaises regularly in efforts to identify problems that could affect bathing
water quality.
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investigations statement |
Natural Resources Wales continues to work with Ceredigion County Council and Dŵr Cymru
Welsh Water to establish sources of pollution around the beach.
Inspections are carried out by Natural Resources Wales in partnership with the local
authority and the water company. These are carried out pre-season (before the 1st
of May) and mid-season if required (during the bathing water season).
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local authority statement |
Natural Resources Wales and Ceredigion County Council continue to work together to
improve the bathing water quality in Clarach.
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macro algae statement |
This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macroalgae). |
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misconnections statement |
Wrongly connected waste water pipes can affect the water quality of rivers and the
sea. Natural Resources Wales continues to work with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Ceredigion
County Council to trace and rectify the sources of pollution from household toilet
and utility misconnections to the private and public surface water system, discharging
into Clarach bathing water.
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 statement |
Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) naturally increase in number at certain times of
the year. This process is known as a phytoplankton bloom. These algal blooms can occur
at any beach during the bathing season and are usually noticeable by a surface scum.
This beach does not have a history of such blooms.
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source |
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stw outfalls statement |
The majority of sewage from Clarach is pumped to Aberystwyth Wastewater Treatment
works, via Bow Street Sewage Pumping Station. Disinfection through ultra-violet treatment
of the effluent helps protect the bathing water quality. There is a small sewage treatment
works at Clarach Village that discharges directly to the Afon Clarach that provides
secondary treatment.
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version string |
1 |
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zoi description |
The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the beach is predominantly
rural with a small holiday village and caravan sites.
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bathing water |
ukl1402-38920 |
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local authority |
Sir Ceredigion - Ceredigion |
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standard language collection |
2014-38920:1
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algae general statement |
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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eso outfalls general statement |
The majority of sewers in England and Wales 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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local authority general statement |
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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pollution management general statement |
It is the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales 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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stw outfalls general statement |
Discharges from sewage treatment works have improved substantially in England and
Wales since the 1980s.
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web res image |
ukl1402-38920_1-webres.jpg |
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