|
|
|
bathing water description |
The bay is located on the south Gower Coast, west of Langland Bay and Mumbles Head.
The beach is gently sloping and sandy, with limestone cliffs on either side, backed
by a concrete promenade with several seaside shops. The water quality sample point
is located at the centre of the bay.
|
|
county name |
Swansea |
|
eso outfalls statement |
There are emergency overflows from the pumping stations in Caswell Car Park and at
Redcliffe Apartments, to the west of the beach. Neither of these overflows have been
known to operate during the bathing water season over the last 5 years.
Bishopston Sewage Treatment Works has a storm overflow, which passes through a reed
bed, prior to discharging offshore at Brandy Cove.
|
|
history statement |
Until 1999, Swansea's sewage was discharged directly to the sea from the Mumbles Headland,
less than 1.5 kilometres away. In 1999, Swansea's sewage system was significantly
upgraded, when a new Wastewater Treatment System was installed at Fabian Way. This
resulted in a vast improvement to the bathing water quality at Caswell.
Recently, Natural Resources Wales has worked with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to trace the
sources of pollution in the public and private surface water drains of the Caswell
catchment.
|
|
investigations statement |
Natural Resources Wales works to establish sources of pollution around Caswell Bay.
Some of this work is carried out in partnership with the City and County of Swansea
and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water.
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).
Following several bathing water quality failures in 2008, Natural Resources Wales
carried out sampling of the surface water drain and the groundwater stream that enters
the sea at Caswell beach. The results of these samples illustrated the surface water
drain was polluted. In response, Natural Resources Wales, along with Dŵr Cymru Welsh
Water and the City and County of Swansea, carried out an intensive investigation of
the drainage system in the area. A significant number of domestic washing machines,
dishwashers, sinks and showers were found to be incorrectly connected to the surface
water sewers. The City and County of Swansea have worked with householders to ensure
that all the misconnections have been corrected.
|
|
local authority statement |
Natural Resources Wales works closely with the City and County of Swansea to monitor
and improve bathing water quality at Caswell. Meetings are held on a quarterly basis.
Investigations and inspections are carried out in collaboration.
|
|
macro algae statement |
This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macroalgae). |
|
misconnections statement |
Natural Resources Wales works with the City and County of Swansea to identify and
rectify household misconnections.
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 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 has a history of such blooms.
|
|
source |
|
stw outfalls statement |
There are no sewage treatment works outfalls at Caswell. Bishopston Sewage Treatment
Works discharges offshore approximately 500 metres west of Caswell Beach, at Brandy
Cove. The effluent is disinfected by ultra-violet light, to protect the water quality.
|
|
version string |
1 |
|
zoi description |
The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is a steep
limestone valley. There are no streams or rivers running on the surface of the valley
bed. The rocks in the area are limestone, meaning the rain which falls onto the land
can percolate through the rock fissures and onto the beach. During periods of very
heavy rainfall, groundwater emerges from a ‘sink hole’ at the bottom of the car park
and flows onto the top of the beach. There is a significant groundwater stream, which
flows onto the beach, next to the sample point. Some rainwater falling within the
catchment is directed into a surface water drain, which flows onto the beach.
The area is relatively urban and residential, with a chalet park to the east and a
car park to the rear, which backs onto Bishop’s Wood Local Nature Reserve. There is
also grazed common land at the top of the catchment.
|
|
bathing water |
ukl1800-37300 |
|
local authority |
Abertawe - Swansea |
|
standard language collection |
2014-37300:1
|
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
stw outfalls general statement |
Discharges from sewage treatment works have improved substantially in England and
Wales since the 1980s.
|
|
|
web res image |
ukl1800-37300_1-webres.jpg |
|