Lyme Regis, Dorset: Expensive Seaside Property; Sea-Bathing Water Quality Data

From Dorset Echo - "Lyme Regis is seventh most expensive place to live in the UK" (compared to other seaside towns)

Lyme Regis and Bridport News

There appears to be no clear correlation between seaside property prices and EU swimming safety standards

Lyme Regis Front Beach

Church Cliff Beach

Environment Agency on Church Cliff Beach - 2015 Bathing Water Profile for Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach

Water Quality data

There is a risk of reduced water quality after heavy rain

Environment Agency: Pollution risk forecasts

"This bathing water is subject to short term pollution. Short term pollution is caused when heavy rainfall washes faecal material into the sea from livestock, sewage and urban drainage via rivers and streams. At this site the risk of encountering reduced water quality increases after rainfall and typically returns to normal after 1-3 days. The Environment Agency makes daily pollution risk forecasts based on rainfall patterns and will issue a pollution risk warning if heavy rainfall occurs to enable bathers to avoid periods of increased risk. The Environment Agency works to reduce the sources of this pollution through pollution prevention measures, work with agriculture and water companies. 28 warnings advising against swimming due to an increase risk of short term pollution were issued in 2014 for Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach bathing water. These warnings were issued because of the effects of heavy rain on the water quality".

Investigations statement

"The Environment Agency are using a DNA tracing technique to help identify if faecal pollution sources are human or animal in origin. The main source of river contamination within Lyme Regis is human in origin. Work in 2012 and 2013 found faecal bacterial pollution rises significantly once the river enters the town, even in dry weather when consented sewerage overflows are not discharging. A project during 2009 identified several properties wrongly connected to the surface water system. A further misconnection was identified and corrected in 2014, however a survey of surface water outlets to the river suggests new misconnection sources have since arisen. The Environment Agency is working with South West Water to carry out a review of sewerage performance within the Lyme Regis area. This work includes further surveys of surface water outfalls into the river, known to be contaminated from human sources, to identify misconnections and other sources of pollution".

BBC Report - Record number of England's beaches face water quality failures

EU Data

See Blog Posting from May, 2011, "Polluted Beaches" - and freedom of information.