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How clean are Sidmouth’s bathing waters?

  • by JW

Two sewer overflows are located at Sidmouth, one discharges through a long sea outfall some 600m out to sea while the other discharges into the River Sid, just under 400m to the east.

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Going to the Environment Agency’s interactive map, you can see what the bathing/swimming quality of the UK’s coastal waters is:

Bathing water quality

Whilst the readings for Ladram Bay are ‘good’ and that at Exmouth “Bathing is not advised today”, the readings for Sidmouth are ‘excellent’:

Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder
Latest annual classification:
 excellent
see bathing water details

The EA page for Jacob’s Ladder states that the sample was taken eight days ago, on August 9th at 11.15:

Bathing water profile

However, if you go to the Surfers Against Sewage interactive map, the profile is different:

This interactive map is our online version of the Safer Seas & Rivers Service, tracking real-time CSOs (combined sewage overflows) and PRFs (pollution risk forecasts). The app monitors the water quality at over 400 locations around UK rivers and coastlines.

Safer Seas Service Interactive Map • Surfers Against Sewage

Their dedicated web page gives more details:

Our award-winning, free to use app is the only national real-time water quality service that protects all water users from pollution.

Safer Seas & Rivers Service • Surfers Against Sewage

Here’s today’s map, which doesn’t look so good:

With the text in full:

Sidmouth Town
Pollution Alert: Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.
Rock pools to the west, overhanging cliffs to the east, Sidmouth Town beach compromises 900m of legally protected pebbles broken up by rock groynes and backed by a promenade and the town. Two sewer overflows are located at Sidmouth, one discharges through a long sea outfall some 600m out to sea while the other discharges into the River Sid, just under 400m to the east.

Safer Seas Service Interactive Map • Surfers Against Sewage

Certainly the press in not impressed:

Sewage on Beaches: Frightening Interactive Map Shows UK’s Most Polluted Beaches

Summer of SEWAGE on Britain’s beaches: More than 50 seasides deemed dangerously polluted | Daily Mail Online

Including locally:

Swimmers warned to stay out of the water at five Devon beaches – Devon Live

This follows on from certain investigations:

Ofwat investigates South West Water over sewage discharge – BBC News