{"id":2563,"date":"2022-03-31T17:02:44","date_gmt":"2022-03-31T17:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cullercoatscollective.co.uk\/?p=2563"},"modified":"2022-05-04T08:14:26","modified_gmt":"2022-05-04T08:14:26","slug":"clarifying-cullercoats-bathing-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cullercoatscollective.co.uk\/index.php\/2022\/03\/31\/clarifying-cullercoats-bathing-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Clarifying Cullercoats Bathing Water"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Cullercoats Collective are proactively working with numerous agencies to keep you up-to-date with the water quality at Cullercoats Bay.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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January 2022 brought the conclusions from the current phase of Northumbrian Water WINEP Cullercoats Bathing Water Study<\/a>. February 2022 then brought a Nationwide protest by Surfers Against Sewage on water quality and they focussed their efforts on Cullercoats. Every year since 2018, Cullercoats has received a poor water quality rating from the Environment Agency and we are on course to receive another later in 2022. This brings the community a lot of confusion, anxiety, bad press, rumours and mis-information.\u00a0<\/p>

Cullercoats Collective were the driving force behind bringing all agencies with some responsibility for this issue into one room to get clarity about the issue, background, how water quality is measured, what actions have been taken and are being taken in the future in order to update with absolute facts to all who live, work and visit Cullercoats.<\/span><\/p>

That meeting took place on 22 March 2022 (World Water Day) between Cullercoats Collective, Environment Agency, North Tyneside Council and all local Councillors, Northumbrian Water, Stantec, and Surfers Against Sewage. We also sent a live Q&A document to agencies in advance, collated from FAQs amongst the community, for answers from those agencies in plain English.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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You can use the icons below to skip to each section<\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSummary FAQs (new page)\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCullercoats Bathing Water Group Roles and Responsibilities\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBackground to Cullercoats Bathing Water and sampling\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSummary of investigations into water quality\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAreas to focus 2022 onwards\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPublic messaging: apps, ticker systems\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSummary of 2021 conclusions and future actions from the meeting\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Summary of faqs<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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We highly recommend you read the full article here, plus linked information in order to be fully informed on quite a complex issue. We have attempted to summarise FAQs here for a quick read and look to keep this updated, though do contact us at environment(@)cullercoatscollective.co.uk if you feel any FAQ is not answered below or in the main article.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIs raw sewage being \"dumped\" in Cullercoats Bay?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

No.<\/p>

Answer provided by Northumbrian Water (NWL):\u00a0<\/p>

An update was made to [the SAS petition] after the group accepted that it was inaccurate. We have no assets that discharge into Cullercoats Bay. The figure of 25 that was quoted related to EA pollution risk forecasts (see section about public messaging<\/a> which explains what this means). These look at conditions such as rainfall levels, the tide, sunlight\/UV and sample data to predict the risk of diffuse short term pollution for the area in general and does not relate specifically to our outfalls (again, we would point out that we do not have any outfalls in Cullercoats Bay).<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Over time, the bathing water profile at Cullercoats shows that t<\/span>here has definitely been a deterioration at Cullercoats<\/span>. See article about further information<\/a> on what we know from current and historical Environment Agency sampling seasons at Cullercoats.<\/p>

We also know, consistent with other bathing waters, that water quality particularly gets worse\u00a0towards the end of the sampling season<\/span> (school summer holidays), heavy rainfall, spring tides and other parameters (explained further in the article).<\/p>

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2017 was a bad year for Cullercoats and annual classifications from 2018 continue to be ‘poor’. 4 consecutive years of a poor water quality rating would have meant dedesignation at the end of 2022<\/strong>, (and not be able to designate again until 2026 earliest). Not being able to take a preseason sample in 2020 means that the 4-year clock was restarted in 2021!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDoes the poor water quality rating at Cullercoats mean that swimming there will make me ill?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Having a poor water quality means that the Environment Agency must show\u00a0advice<\/em> against bathing, it is not an indicator that swimming there will make you ill. The nature of Open Water Swimming is that it carries risks that are not present in a controlled environment such as a swimming pool.<\/span><\/p>

Open water swimming has a higher risk of gastrointestinal illnesses (stomach bugs), which may cause diarrhoea and\/or vomiting, as well as respiratory, skin, ear and eye infections, as there will always be micro-organisms and other hazards present.<\/span> Everybody responds differently, see the Government Advice on Swim Healthy<\/a>, and advice on Open Water Swimming from the Open Water Swimming Society<\/a> and local Open Water Swimming groups<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>

Before you swim<\/b><\/p>

There are a number of things you should consider including:<\/span><\/p>