2014 Bathing Water Profile for Castle Beach, Tenby
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This small cove is located at the north east end of the South Beach, opposite St Catherine’s Island. This is the smallest of Tenby’s three beaches, being 150 metres wide at low tide. The beach is backed by steep cliffs, with the town of Tenby above. This beach can be heavily populated with holiday-makers on sunny days and is where the boat to Caldey Island launches. The bay is located within the Carmarthen Bay Special Area of Conservation, with the cliffs and St Catherine’s Island being listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, confirming the high conservation status of the area. The bathing water also lies within Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The water quality sample point is located at the centre of the beach.
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Pembrokeshire
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Natural Resources Wales continues to work with Pembrokeshire County Council and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to identify any sources of pollution. 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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Within the Tenby catchment there are a number of storm, emergency and surface water outfalls, that discharge around the town. These protect domestic properties in Tenby from being flooded by sewage during periods of heavy rainfall. The main pumping stations are in Tenby Harbour and at the Salterns. The Harbour Pumping Station has recently been upgraded to improve performance.
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Natural Resources Wales has developed a good working relationship with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and liaises regularly to identify problems that could affect bathing water quality.
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2014 Bathing Water Profile for Castle Beach, Tenby
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Natural Resources Wales continues to work with Pembrokeshire County Council to identify any sources of pollution.
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This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macroalgae).
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Wrongly connected waste water pipes can affect the water quality of rivers and the sea. Any suspect misconnections will be passed to Pembrokeshire County Council for investigation. 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. 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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2014 Bathing Water Profile for Castle Beach, Tenby
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Streams and rivers are typically affected by sewage or industrial run off from further up the catchment. Castle Beach Tenby can be influenced by the freshwater of the River Ritec, which flows into the sea off Tenby South Beach. There are also numerous surface water drains which empty into the waters around Tenby which may sometimes be a source of reduced water quality, after heavy rainfall. High flows in streams, rivers and sewers due to heavy rainfall can affect water quality.
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Tenby's sewage effluent is pumped to the relatively new Tenby Wastewater Treatment Works at Gumfreston, where it is biologically treated and disinfected with ultra-violet light, to protect the bathing water quality at Tenby beaches.
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Significant areas of pastureland, occupied by livestock, feature in the largely agricultural catchment outside Tenby and Penally. A programme of farm visits is carried out each year, to monitor farming methods and share best practice.
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Poorly maintained private sewage treatment facilities could be a source of pollution, therefore the registration of all qualifying private sewage systems in Wales was required by 30 June 2012. The primary aim of this exercise is to provide increased protection for the environment and sensitive features such as bathing water beaches. Where discharges from properties are identified in the catchment that are not on mains sewerage, Natural Resources Wales will endeavour to ensure registration has been made, unless already a permitted discharge. Natural Resources Wales places a high value on public participation in helping to trace sources of environmental pollution. Natural Resources Wales welcomes any comments or information from the pubic with regards to environmental pollution.
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The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water comprises of limestone cliffs and Tenby Town in the immediate background. The River Ritec feeds into a culvert at Tenby South Beach, issuing into the sea just offshore. This river drains the town of Tenby, the village of St Florence and a large agricultural area.
