Aberystwyth North is a sloping shingle beach, it is relatively wide, measuring some 750 metres in length. The beach is situated to the centre of Cardigan Bay, facing west, enclosed by rocky outcrops, backed by a promenade and the Edwardian town of Aberystwyth. The water quality sample point is situated directly in front of the bandstand.
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).
Misconnections have been identified as a cause of poor water quality at Aberystwyth North beach and have been rectified.
Aberystwyth North is potentially impacted by numerous storm, emergency and surface water outfalls within the main freshwater rivers, particularly during heavy rainfall. 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 reduced water quality in streams and the bathing water. 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 CSOs near Aberystwyth North 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.
In 2009, a rising main sewer system was significantly upgraded. This resulted in increased storage capacity and reduced storm overflows, which helped improve the water quality at Aberystwyth North beach.
Natural Resources Wales worked closely with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to ensure this work was completed without causing pollution.
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 Aberystwyth North 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.
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.
Streams are typically affected by sewage or industrial run off from further up the catchment. The beach is influenced by two main fresh waters, the streams Lovers Dingle and Nant Penglais. There are also surface water drains which empty into the bay which after heavy rainfall may sometimes be a source of reduced water quality than usual. Two larger rivers, the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol, which enter Aberystwyth South beach, part of Cardigan Bay may also influence the beach at Aberystwyth North. High flows in streams, rivers and sewers due to heavy rainfall affects water quality in the bay.
Aberystwyth Wastewater Treatment works discharges into the Afon Rheidol, which flows onto the other EC designated beach at Aberystwyth South. Disinfection through ultra-violet treatment of the effluent ensures protection of the bathing water quality.
We have worked closely with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) to enable the replacement of ultra violet (UV) disinfection at Aberystwyth Sewage Treatment Works (STW) which was completed prior to the 2015 bathing season. This major refurbishment by DCWW has ensured improved compliance with the respective environmental permit and increased protection of the bathing waters at Aberystwyth with more effective and efficient UV disinfection.
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 Aberystwyth North, data are available for the four year assessment period from 2020-2023. Sewage debris was not observed at this bathing water. Animal faeces was not noted at this site. Trace amounts of litter were observed at the bathing water the majority of the time and in greater amounts on less than ten per cent of occasions. Oil and tarry residues were not noted at this site.
Pollution prevention visits have been undertaken by Natural Resources Wales at agricultural premises throughout the catchment. 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 continues to work with and influence the private sector to highlight the importance of the bathing water to the town’s economy. This work has involved dye tracing and misconnection surveys.
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 highly urbanised, with shops, bars, residential properties, student accommodation and the Aberystwyth University Campus. The larger catchments of the rivers Rheidol and Ystwyth have large agricultural sectors, the former also has a small industrial sector.
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.
