Wirral: Warning to swimmers at popular beach explained

The Environment Agency has explained why it issued a pollution warning two weeks ago urging people not to swim at one of the most popular beaches on the Wirral. While warnings are based on forecasts, the government body is still investigating the possible causes of higher levels of bacteria in the area.

For three days from August 21 to 23, a warning was issued for the popular beach in West Kirby telling swimmers not to go into the water due to pollution forecasts in the area. The pollution risk forecasting is a system to alert people when the water quality at designated bathing water sites may be worse.

There are many possible causes for pollution and water company United Utilities said there had been no discharges from overflows between August 21 and August 23. Thundery showers, intense rainfall, high winds and high tides increase the likelihood of pollution in bathing waters from many sources, including surface water run-off, storm overflows, sea birds and dog waste.

No warnings are currently in place for West Kirby beach but the notice follows increased levels of bacteria in water tests over the past two years that saw the beach’s rating go from “excellent” to “good.” The beach sits at the mouth of the Dee Estuary.

Tests taken in 2023 showed higher levels of intestinal enterococci on four occasions while in 2024, this happened six times. For escherichia coli (e.coli,) there were higher levels present in 2023 on three occasions and on five in 2024.

Shortly before the warning was issued on August 21, tests showed 360 colonies of e.coli per 100ml on August 20 and 470 colonies on August 22. A test done on September 3 showed levels had dropped down to 120 colonies per 100ml.

Work is still ongoing to understand possible causes of these results and an Environment Agency spokesman said: “West Kirby bathing water is monitored during the bathing season (May to September) and is classified as ‘Good’, the second highest grade of bathing water.

“The forecasting at West Kirby draws on rainfall, wind and tidal predictions. When a pollution risk is forecast, we issue “Advice Against Bathing” to the Swimfo website. We also notify the local authority so that signs advising against bathing can be displayed on-site.

“This enables swimmers to avoid times or locations where the risk of pollution is higher than normal, and where health risks from bathing may be higher than the annual beach classification suggests.”

The Environment Agency, a government body that regulates the environment, also urged people to report any potential environmental incidents directly to their 24-hour hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

At the beginning of September, a volunteer water tester in the River Dee carried out a test on “milky water” coming out of an outlet pipe next to the beach near Dee Lane which turned instantly orange, a result that took her completely by surprise. A test the next day after high tide had the same reaction.

The pipe is a surface water outfall that sits at the end of the car park for the town’s marine lake in close proximity to the beach. It also doubles up as a sewage discharge point which happened three times in 2023.

She then reported this to the Environment Agency, Wirral Council, and United Utilities. On September 3, the Environment Agency observed no evidence of pollution at the beach or marine lake but took samples at the outlet with results from further tests still due to come back.

The volunteer, who asked to remain anonymous, said she was told by United Utilities that it was a known source of contamination and had been reported three times in the last one and a half years with both Wirral Council and the Environment Agency aware of the problem. She said: “That is what really shocked me. There were no proper warning signs whatsoever.

“I asked what had been done about it. If it is known, what is being done about it?”

She added: “It must be an ongoing thing and yet nothing is being done about it and children are playing there. I just stumbled on it. I am a volunteer. I just stumbled across this and reported it and I was told it was a source of contamination.”

Four reports of pollution have been made at or near West Kirby since June 2023 including that made by the volunteer. On two occasions, this was found to be naturally occurring algal bloom, seafoam and rotting seaweed. It was also reported a CSO was discharging at Caldy beach on August 17 but the report was made a week after which meant the Environment Agency could not investigate.

United Utilities has said it now has live monitoring on 100% of its storm overflows but the discharge point at Dee Lane is not included in a map published by the water company. A United Utilities spokesperson said: “Due to how the system is configured in that area, we are working through the data that the monitors provide to allow us to update our live storm overflow map but as per the record on the Rivers Trust map, we do provide the data in our annual return to the EA for when the storm overflow operates.

“There is a historical issue of misconnections which has influenced how the drainage system has been developed in the area over the years. We are continuing to establish the sources and impact of these and will share our findings with the council, who are the responsible authority for taking enforcement action.”

A Wirral Council spokesperson said: “We are in the process of providing a response to the resident who has raised concerns directly, although in this instance it seems that the lead body would be the Environment Agency. However, if there is anything more we can do to support with messaging or reassurance locally, we would certainly look to do that.”

By Edward Barnes – Local Democracy Reporter