Llanrhystud bathing water is popular with both tourists and residents alike. The beach faces north west into Cardigan Bay and is backed by a shingle bank leading down to a sandy beach at low tide. This beach is approximately 1 km long. The beach is accessed by a single land track and limited parking is available. The Ceredigion coastal path runs along the beach. The beach is backed by agricultural land and the village of Llanrhystud. There are two large caravan parks nearby, one of which has a private sewage treatment plant. The other is connected to mains sewer. The Afon Wyre enters into the sea approximately 0.5 km north of the Llanrhystud bathing water. This watercourse can receive storm effluent from the Llanrhystud sewage treatment works during heavy rain. The treated effluent from this sewage plant is pumped away to coastal waters of Llansantffraid, some 2 kms to the south. Natural Resources Wales's designated sample point is located to the centre of the beach.
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 15th of May) and mid-season if required (during the bathing water season).
Storm and emergency discharges from this works can enter the Afon Wyre after heavy rain or mechanical breakdown.
In recent years, telemetry equipment has been installed in most of the overflows by the water company. This technology has allowed Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to respond to warnings of blockages in the sewage system and has reduced the number of actual and potential overflows.
A project known as Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) was undertaken to install telemetry on Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) within 2km of a bathing water by 2020 so that Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) know when the CSOs are operating and can work to reduce spills. One CSO near Llanrhystud was included in this project.
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.
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.
Streams are typically affected by sewage or industrial run off from further up the catchment. Llanrhystud may be influenced by the nearby Afon Wyre which enters the sea to the north of the bathing water. Water quality will be monitored during the bathing season to establish if it represents a risk to the bathing water quality. High flows in streams, rivers and sewers during heavy rainfall may affect water quality at the bating water.
There is a biological sewage treatment plant serving Llanrhystud. This discharge is to coastal waters approximately 2 km south of the bathing water. Storm and emergency discharges from this works can enter the Afon Wyre after heavy rain or mechanical breakdown.
Natural Resources Wales samplers make visual observations of the beach at every visit. This includes assessments of sewage debris, animal faeces, litter and oil or tar. At Llanrhystud, data are available for the four year assessment period from 2020-2023. Sewage debris was not observed at this bathing water. Trace amounts of animal faeces were noted at the site on a minority of occasions. Trace amounts of litter were observed at the bathing water on between ten and twenty per cent of occasions. Oil and tarry residues were not noted at this site.
Over the past few years pollution prevention visits have been undertaken by Natural Resources Wales at agricultural premises throughout the Wyre and Carrog catchments. As part of this process, Natural Resources Wales assessed slurry and manure storage, and potential sources of contamination from farm yards which could adversely impact bathing waters. Advice and guidance has been given to farm owners about responsibly managing nutrients, and where needed, improvements are identified and implemented through voluntary and regulatory means.
Natural Resources Wales places a high value on public participation in helping to identify environmental pollution.
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.
The natural drainage (hydrological) catchment surrounding the bathing water is heavily influenced by agriculture and tourism, with large caravan sites located along the coastal belt. Most of the area is open grazing land with both dairy and sheep farming evident. There are some private sewage treatment plants in the area.
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 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.
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 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. The following sections serve to highlight potential sources of pollution, conditions under which they may arise and measures being put in place to improve water quality.
