Some of Bristol and Somerset’s most popular swimming spots have been left out of action today due to sewage warnings – after an almost constant blanket of rain battered the area throughout Sunday and into the early hours of this morning (Monday).
Charity water-quality campaigners, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), keep track of where sewage spills may run into and pollute the sea, particularly after heavy rainfall, and mark affected areas on their real-time tracker map.
The map not only marks where there are sewage alerts and pollution incidents, but also highlights areas that generally have poor water quality classifications, where swimming is usually not advisable.
But in areas where people commonly do swim, SAS issues the following alert in cases of sewage pollution: “Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.”
And following the poor weather over the weekend, three spots in Bristol and Somerset have been marked in this way: Burnham-on-Sea, Clevedon, and Bristol Floating Harbour. Swimming in these waters is currently not advised due to the likelihood of reduced water quality.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Somerset, seaside resorts such as Minehead and Dunster are popular for family holidays and water sports – but are actually classified as having poor water quality. The same goes for the main beach at Weston-super-Mare, as well as its neighbouring beaches at Uphill and Sand Bay, in North Somerset.
Sewage warnings in Bristol and Somerset:
- Burnham Jetty North – Although there are no sewer overflows discharging directly onto the beach, there are several within the catchment area that discharge into the rivers. More overflows from the surrounding urban area may also affect bathing water quality here.
- Clevedon – Clevedon is an old Victorian seaside resort at the mouth of the River Severn. There are two sewer overflows that discharge into the sea 400m and 500m to the north of the beach.
- Bristol Floating Harbour
Poor water classification:
- Minehead Terminus
- Dunster North West
- Blue Anchor West
- Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway
- Weston-super-Mare Main
- Weston-super-Mare Sand Bay