2014 Bathing Water Profile for Tenby South
-
Facing south east towards Caldey Island, this beach is a 2 kilometre stretch of sand, of which the north eastern section forms this bathing water. It is backed by dunes at the south end, with limestone cliffs and a promenade at the north end. A golf course and Penally village lie further behind. The beach 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 just opposite the beach car park.
-
Pembrokeshire
-
Natural Resources Wales continue 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).
-
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. The sewage effluent from Tenby is biologically treated with ultra violet light at Gumfreston to protect the quality of bathing waters around Tenby.
-
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.
-
2014 Bathing Water Profile for Tenby South
-
Natural Resources Wales continue to work with Pembrokeshire County Council to identify any sources of pollution.
-
This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macroalgae).
-
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.
-
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.
-
2014 Bathing Water Profile for Tenby South
-
Streams and rivers are typically affected by sewage or industrial run off from further up the catchment. Tenby South Beach can be influenced by the freshwater of the River Ritec, via a short sea outfall 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 poorer water quality, after heavy rainfall. High flows in streams, rivers and sewers due to heavy rainfall, affects water quality.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water comprises of sand dune and marsh land in the immediate back ground, with the Town of Tenby at the north end. 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.
