COMHAIRLE CHONTAE CHILL MHANTÁIN
Wicklow County Council
Bathing Water Profile: Brittas Bay North
Bathing Water Name:
County:
River Basin District
Bathing Water ID (as per the WFD):
Year of Designation:
Location of Sampling Point.
Responsible Authority
Brittas Bay, North Beach
Wicklow
Eastern
IEEABWC100_0000_0100
1988
E330865 N182983
Wicklow County Council
Page 1 of 12
Version Control
Version Number: 1
Date: 23rd May 2011
Next Review Due: March 2014
Description of the Bathing Water
Location and Extent: Brittas Bay North Beach is located approximately 13km
northeast of Arklow Town and 11km south of Wicklow along the R750 coast road.
The beach is situated about 3km north of Mizen Head. The beach area is
approximately 1800m long and is approximately 0.14 sq. km. in area. The beach is
accessed through a car park that fronts the R750 coast road.
Main Features
Type of Bathing Water: Brittas Bay North Beach is a large, gently sloping, open
sandy beach backing onto a hilly sand dune area.
Water Depth: This sandy beach is considered shallow falling away gradually to
depth.
Water Safety: Irish Water Safety carried out a Beach Risk Assessment on this
beach in 2005. The assessment indicates a moderate risk from wave spilling, sand
bars/banks and rip/other currents and therefore caution should be exercised
especially with regard to the supervision of young children.
Tidal Range: Arklow and Wicklow ports are the nearest locations for which tidal
information is available. The beach at Brittas Bay North is near Mizen Head, which is
approximately equidistant from Arklow and Wicklow Ports. The range between
consecutive High and Low waters at a port changes over a full lunar month. When
this range is at its greatest, the tides are referred to as 'Spring tides' and when the
range is at its smallest, they are referred to as 'Neap tides'. Brittas Bay North is
estimated from this data. The tidal range is expected to be 1.4m. The mean high
water spring tide could be expected to be 2.05m and the mean low water spring tide
0.65m. The mean high water neap tide is 1.75m and the mean low water neap tide is
1.0 m. The tides at Britttas Bay North are about two hours earlier than the tide times
for Dublin Port.
Land use: The land use in the general area surrounding the bathing water is mixed,
comprising of tourist accommodation to the east and west of the R750 coast road
and agricultural lands to the west.
Local Sites of Interest: The Magherabeg Dunes Special Area of Conservation
(SAC 001766) lie 2.5km to the North. This area is a proposed National Heritage
Area. The Buckroney-Brittas Dunes and Fen Special Area of Conservation (SAC
00729) and proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA) encompass the length of
southern beach and a southern area inland.
Facilities And Activities
Facilities: Public car parking is provided with pathways down to the beach. Toilet,
drinking and showering facilities are provided in this car park.
The number of visitors during the bathing season is expected to be 500-1000 per day
at busy weekends.
Other Activities: The beach is used by limited numbers of surfers, windsurfers,
canoeists and snorkelling enthusiasts.
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Formal designations
The bathing water was designated under the EC (Quality of Bathing Water)
Regulations, 1988.
The coastal area of the County is designated an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
in the County Development Plan.
The Magherabeg Dunes Special Area of Conservation (SAC 001766) lie 2.5km to the
North. This area is a proposed National Heritage Area. The Buckroney-Brittas Dunes
and Fen Special Area of Conservation (SAC 00729) and proposed Natural Heritage
Area (pNHA) encompass the length of southern beach and a southern area inland.
The Brittas Bay South Bathing Water has been awarded Blue Flag status for 2011.
Flora/Fauna, Riparian Zone
The beach forms part of the Buckroney-Brittas Dunes and Fen Special Area of
Conservation (SAC 00729) and proposed Natural Heritage Area. The site comprises
two main sand dune systems, Brittas Bay and Buckroney Dunes, connected on the
coast by the rocky headland of Mizen Head. This site is important as an extensive
sand dune/fen system with well-developed plant communities. Along much of the
higher parts of the beach, typical annual strandline vegetation occurs. Species such
as Sea Rocket (Cakile maritima), Prickly Saltwort and Spear-leaved Orache are
frequent in this zone, with the scarcer Yellow-horned Poppy present in places. The
main dune ridges are dominated by Marram grass, with herbaceous species such as
Sea Spurge, Sea Holly and Rest Harrow occurring throughout. The main dune ridges
are well developed reaching heights of 10 m at Brittas Bay. Several coastal habitats
listed on the EU Habitats Directive, including two priority habitats - fixed dune and
decalcified dune heath - are present. The area contains two legally protected plants,
Wild Asparagus, in its most northerly Irish station, and Meadow Saxifrage, as well as
a number of other rare or scarce plant species, viz. Green-flowered Helleborine,
Bird’s-foot and Spring Vetch. The site provides habitat for some rare species of
invertebrate and for the vulnerable Little Tern. Beyond the beach and dune area lie
holiday home developments and residential properties to the west. There is no
significant vegetation growing in the water off the beach, other than some seaweed
on rocks in the south.
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Description of Contributing Catchment:
Contributing Catchment: The contributing catchment to the bathing water is
approximately 15 square kilometres. The Brittas Bay North beach is located in the
townland of Brittas. The Potters River to the north of the beach rises at a height of
about 200m, 12km to the northwest of the beach in the townland of Ballydowling and
drains into the Southwestern Irish Sea-Brittas Bay (HA10) in the Eastern River Basin
District. The Southwestern Irish Sea-Brittas Bay (HA10) has not yet being assigned a
water quality status but it must attain or retain at least good status by 2015.
Water Bodies draining into Bathing Water: The Potters River rises at a height of
about 200m, 12km to the northwest and enters into the coastal waters to the north
end of the beach.
Topography: The catchment consists of sloping hills and valleys falling from a height
of 200m in the northwest of the catchment.
Soils, Subsoils, Bedrock: Brown earths/brown sods is the predominant soil group
followed 80%gleys/20% brown Pods, the subsoil is till, chiefly derived from
Palaeozoic rock with outcrop and subcrops of rock with alluvium along the route of
the Potters River. The subsoil in the beach area is wind blown sand. Ordovician
Metasediment is the bedrock type with several fault lines in a north-south orientation.
The bedrock is locally important, moderately productive aquifer in local zones, which
is mainly of medium vulnerability to pollution east of the coast road with
higher/extreme areas of vulnerability in the west. The depth to bedrock maps
indicates a range of 1-10m in the high-medium vulnerable areas and <1m in the
extreme vulnerable area.
Population Centres: The nearest population centres are Arklow and Wicklow
Towns. There are several caravan park developments along the R750 coast road
and the local road west from Brittas Bridge.
Rainfall: The closest weather station to the bathing water is Arklow Waterworks
(Grid. Ref. E322125 N173038), which is approximately 17km from the bathing water
and at a height of 34m. Mean annual rainfall at this station for the period 1961-1990
period was 1000mm. The lowest monthly average rainfall of 53mm occurred in the
month of July with the highest of 112mm occurring in December. At Rosslare (Grid
Ref. E313779 N112173), the mean annual rainfall at this station for the period 19611990 period was 877.2mm. The lowest monthly average rainfall of 50.6mm occurred
in the month of July with the highest of 97.6mm occurring in November and
December.
Water Quality Monitoring
Location of Monitoring Point:
The grid reference for the nominal bathing water monitoring point is E330865
N182983. The precise location of monitoring point can vary depending on the tidal
and weather conditions.
Reason for its selection:
The location of the bathing water sampling point is the location where most bathers
are expected.
Water Quality Assessment:
The bathing water quality monitoring carried out at Brittas Bay North since 2003 has
shown consistently good water quality at all times. Brittas Bay North achieved good
water quality status and complied with the EU guide and mandatory values as set in
the Quality of Bathing Waters Regulations, 1992 and EC Bathing Water Directive
(76/160/EEC) in respect of the following parameters:
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Bathing Water Quality Monitoring 2003- 2010
Year
Total Coliforms
Faecal Coliforms
Mineral Oils
Phenols
Surface Active Substances
2010
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
2009
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
2008
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
2007
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
2006
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
2005
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
2004
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
2003
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
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Map 2: Map of the catchment draining into the Brittas Bay North
including potential causes of pollution
Page 6 of 12
Description of Potential Pressures in the Catchment Assessed as Posing No Risk
Description of the pressure:
1. A Sand & Gravel Pit is located 7km inland in Ballinclare Townland.
Description of the risk assessment
methodology and the results:
The surface water run off from this premises could reach the Potters River. The
Microbiological Water Quality would not affected by the type of run off from this quarry. This is
also remote from the bathing water. Therefore this pressure does not pose a risk to the
bathing water quality at this beach.
Description of Potential Pressures in the Catchment Assessed as Posing No Risk
Description of the pressure:
2. There are two caravan parks in the townland of Ballynacarrig, which are served by
separate wastewater treatment plant and outfalls to sea.
Description of the risk assessment
methodology and the results:
The wastewater treatment plants do not discharge into the bathing water, but into the sea
1Km north of the bathing area. The monitoring results of these licensed discharges indicate
effluents of good quality and therefore they pose no risk to this bathing area. The remoteness
of the pressure from the bathing area and the bathing water quality for the past number of
years indicate that this pressure has not impacted.
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Key Pressures, Risk Assessment and Management Measures
Description of the
pressure:
1. The wastewater treatment plant, which serves Barndarrig Village, discharges treated effluent into a
tributary of the Potters River 5km inland. The Barndarrig wastewater treatment plant has design
capacity of 150pe and a current loading of 243pe.
Description of the risk
assessment
methodology:
Microbiological Pollution Risk Assessment as per EPA Guidance for the Development of Bathing
Water Profiles was followed.
Microbiological Pollution Risk Assessment
The relatively small volume of effluent discharges into a small river. The secondary stage of sewage
treatment indicates that the Microbiological Pollution Potential (MPP) grade is moderate. The 95
percentile value of the monitoring results for Intestinal Enterococci at Brittas Bay North for the period
2006-2009 was 63 and this equates to a Water Quality Impact (WQI) grade B. The combined grades
for MPP and WQI indicate a low water quality impact arising from the discharge of wastewater from
Description of the
results from the risk
assessment
methodology in terms
of risk and impact(use
The Microbial Pollution Risk Assessment for the discharge of wastewater from Barndarrig Village
indicates that the water quality impact is low. However the wastewater treatment plant is operating
above design capacity and there may be instances when the secondary treatment may be
compromised. It is also the case the discharge is 5km inland. Therefore the risk is considered to be
low-moderate.
Risk of short-term
pollution (nature,
frequency and
d ti )
Management
measures
taken/proposed to be
taken including
timescale for their
The risk of short-term pollution is considered low-moderate.
Contact details of
bodies responsible for
taking such action
Water & Environmental Services, Wicklow County Council. Tel 0404-20100
There is a proposal to expand the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant to 400pe. The existing
plant is operated and monitored in accordance with a certificate issued by the Environmental
Protection Agency.
Page 8 of 12
Key Pressures, Risk Assessment and Management Measures
Description of the
pressure:
2. The wastewater treatment plant, which serves Barndarrig Village, discharges treated effluent into a
tributary of the Potters River 5km inland. The Barndarrig wastewater treatment plant has design capacity of
150pe and a current loading of 243pe.
Description of the risk
assessment
methodology:
Microbiological Pollution Risk Assessment as per EPA Guidance for the Development of Bathing Water
Profiles was followed.
Microbiological Pollution Risk Assessment
The relatively small volume of effluent discharges into a small river. The secondary stage of sewage
treatment indicates that the Microbiological Pollution Potential (MPP) grade is moderate. The 95 percentile
value of the monitoring results for Intestinal Enterococci at Brittas Bay North for the period 2006-2009 was
63 and this equates to a Water Quality Impact (WQI) grade B. The combined grades for MPP and WQI
indicate a low water quality impact arising from the discharge of wastewater from Barndarrig Village.
Description of the results
from the risk
assessment
methodology in terms of
risk and impact(use
MPP and WQI, where
The Microbial Pollution Risk Assessment for the discharge of wastewater from Barndarrig Village indicates
that the water quality impact is low. However the wastewater treatment plant is operating above design
capacity and there may be instances when the secondary treatment may be compromised. It is also the
case the discharge is 5km inland. Therefore the risk is considered to be low-moderate.
Risk of short-term
pollution (nature,
frequency and duration):
The risk of short-term pollution is considered low-moderate.
Management measures
taken/proposed to be
taken including
timescale for their
elimination:
There is a proposal to expand the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant to 400pe. The existing plant is
operated and monitored in accordance with a certificate issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Contact details of bodies
responsible for taking
such action
Water & Environmental Services, Wicklow County Council. Tel 0404-20100
Page 9 of 12
Key Pressures, Risk Assessment and Management Measures
Description of the pressure:
3. Septic tank systems serving several caravan parks to northeast and west of bathing water.
Description of the risk assessment
methodology:
The risk assessment methodology is based on a source-pathway-receptor approach. The potentially
polluting activity or structure is considered the source, the receptor being the bathing water and the
pathway being the route of by which the pollutant could reach the receptor. The risk reduces as
treatment/control measures at the source and/or in the pathway to the receptor increases and viceversa. In the absence of a pathway, there is no risk. These septic tank systems do not discharge into
the bathing waters or to the local stream, instead they discharge via percolation into groundwater.
The groundwater protection responses for a locally important aquifer with high/medium vulnerability
indicate that the septic tank systems may be acceptable subject to normal good practice and that in
areas of extreme vulnerability septic tank system may also be acceptable subject to minimum depth
of soil cover over bedrock of 1.2m is maintained. The bedrock is a locally important aquifer,
moderately productive aquifer in local zones, which is mainly of medium vulnerability to pollution east
of the coast road with higher/extreme areas of vulnerability in the west. The depth to bedrock maps
indicates a range of 1-10m in the high-medium vulnerable areas and <1m in the extreme vulnerable
area.
The depth to bedrock maps indicates a range of 1-10m in the high-medium vulnerable areas and
<1m in the extreme vulnerable area. Most septic tank systems are not located in the extreme
vulnerable area. Despite many of the septic tank systems predating more recent design standards,
the nature and depth of the subsoil and distance of these pressures from the bathing water would
suggest that the risk to the bathing water is moderate.
Description of the results from the risk
assessment methodology in terms of risk
and impact(use MPP and WQI, where
relevant)
Risk of short-term pollution (nature,
frequency and duration):
Management measures taken/proposed
to be taken including timescale for their
elimination:
Contact details of bodies responsible for
taking such action
The risk of short term pollution is considered moderate.
The septic tank systems and Potters River will be monitored during the bathing season.
Water & Environmental Services, Wicklow County Council. Tel 0404-20100
Page 10 of 12
Key Pressures, Risk Assessment and Management Measures
Description of the pressure:
Description of the risk assessment methodology:
Description of the results from the risk assessment methodology in terms
of risk and impact(use MPP and WQI, where relevant)
4. Septic tank system in Public Parking Area.
The risk assessment methodology is based on a source-pathway-receptor
approach. The potentially polluting activity or structure is considered the
source, the receptor being the bathing water and the pathway being the
route of by which the pollutant could reach the receptor. The risk reduces
as treatment/control measures at the source and/or in the pathway to the
receptor increases and vice-versa. In the absence of a pathway, there is
no risk. The septic tank system does not discharge into the bathing waters
or to the local stream, instead they discharge via percolation into
groundwater. The groundwater protection responses for a locally important
aquifer with medium vulnerability indicate that the septic tank systems
acceptable subject to normal good practice. The area of medium
vulnerability is east of the coast road. The depth to bedrock maps indicates
at least10m in the medium vulnerability areas.
The depth to bedrock maps indicates a range of10m in the medium
vulnerability area. Despite the septic tank system predating more recent
design standards, the nature and depth of the subsoil and distance of the
pressures from the bathing water would suggest that the risk to the bathing
water is low.
Risk of short-term pollution (nature, frequency and duration):
The risk of short term pollution is considered low.
Management measures taken/proposed to be taken including timescale for
their elimination:
Contact details of bodies responsible for taking such action
The septic tank system will be monitored during the bathing season.
Water & Environmental Services, Wicklow County Council. Tel 0404-20100
Page 11 of 12
Other Risks
An assessment of the potential for proliferation of Cyanobacteria:
Not applicable.
Any proposed management measures where a health risk has been identified/presumed:
Not applicable.
An assessment of the potential for proliferation of Macroalgae:
The monitoring of the beach indicates a low potential for the proliferation of Macro-algae on this beach.
Any proposed management measures?
The bathing water will be inspected for any significant accumulation of macro-algae during the bathing season.
Name Beach operator responsible for the beach management:
Wicklow Area Engineering Office, Wicklow County Council.
Address: Wicklow County Council, County Buildings, Wicklow Town.
Telephone number:
0404-20173
Fax Number:
0404-67792
Email:
[email protected]
Name of contact person during holidays: as above
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