Bathing Water Profile - Sutton, Burrow Beach (2013)

Bathing Water: Sutton, Burrow Beach Bathing Water Code: IEEABWC070_0000_0100 Local Authority: County Council River Basin District: Eastern Monitoring Point: 326648E, 239773N

1. Profile Details:

Profile Id: BWPR00218 Toilets Available: No Year Of Profile: 2013 Car Parking Available: Yes Year Of Identification 1992 Disabled Access: No Version Number: 1 First Aid Available: Yes Sensitive Area: No Dogs Allowed: Yes Lifesaving Facilities: Yes

Figure 1: Bathing Water 2. Bathing Water Details:

Map 1: Bathing Water Location & Extent

Bathing Water location and Sutton, the BurrowBeach is located approximately 12km from City Centre, on the narrow isthmus extent: that connects Head to the mainland. The beach is located on the north side of Burrow Road, between Sutton and Howth.

The designated area is approx. 0.5km long; the beach extends beyond the designated area and is approximately 1.2 km long.

Main features of the Bathing Type of Bathing Water Water: The Burrow Beach is a sandy, gently sloping beach facing mainly to the north.

Flora/Fauna, Riparian Zone

Sutton beach is adjacent to Baldoyle Estuary. Baldoyle Estuary is a very important place for wildlife. The large expanse of mudflats and open water provide feeding grounds for many wading birds, ducks and geese. Thousands of migratory birds such as the Brent Goose, Blacktailed Godwits, Redshanks and Golden Plover spend the autumn and winter here, to feed and to rest, before returning to their breeding grounds in northern Europe and Canada. From the beach, visitors can see Ireland’s Eye just off the coast at Howth. This island is a home to thousands of breeding seabirds includes Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Cormorants and Puffins. Gannets can be regularly seen plunging into the sea near the beach in search of food. Grey seals can occasionally be seen from the beach. More information about wildlife is available on the website: www.fingalbiodiversity.ie

Water Depth

Estimated depth of the designated bathing water is approximatly 2.0m, this fluctuates depending on the tides.

Tidal Range

Fluctuates depending on the tides.

Land Use

The land use in the area immediately surrounding the beach is discontinuous urban fabric, which is typical for towns.

Howth with population of 8,196 in 2006 and Sutton with population of 5,914 in 2006 are the main population centres in the contributing catchment area. Activities available at the Swimming – Kite surfing – Fishing, – Walking Bathing Water:

Contributing catchment The Burrow Beach is located in the Mayne-Santry Coastal / Coastal Howth catchment area. The coastal details: Howth catchment area is approx. 16.6km2.

There is no river or stream discharging directly to the beach. The Bloody Stream (approx. 1.5km long) discharges approx. 1.2 km to the east of the beach, is the closest stream to the designated bathing area. Sluice/Mayne Rivers and the Baldoyle Estuary discharge past the beach. There is a surface water pipe discharging directly to the bathing area.

The Coastal Howth contributing catchment area is mainly hills, with cliffs along Howth peninsula.

The Coastal Howth catchment area is discontinuous urban fabric. there are some sport and leisure facilities, pastures, moors, heathland and broad-leaved forest.

The catchment area is a mixture of made land/built land and rock/bedrock at the surface. Cambrian Metasediment is a main bedrock type in the area.

The Coastal Howth catchment area is mainly underlined by a Poor Aquifer where Bedrock is generally unproductive except in the local zones. The area is marked as a high or extremely high vulnerability.

Located nearby theBurrowBeach, Baldoyle Estuary andIreland’s Eye are Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC). is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and theHowthCoast is a Special Protection Area (SPA). To the south of the beach,NorthDublinBay is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).Ireland’s Eye and the south-eastern part ofHowthPeninsula is a Special Amenity Area.

Monitoring point details: The grid reference for the nominated bathing water monitoring point is: 326647.5298E 239773.3663N

Reason for selection of the The location of the monitoring point is the location where the most bathers are expected to use the bathing monitoring point: water. However, the location of the monitoring point may vary due to tidal and weather influence. In spite of that, the monitoring point is located always on the monitoring axis located perpendicularly from the Life Guard Station into the bathing area.

Water quality assessment: WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT:

Bathing water quality monitoring has been carried out at Sutton, the Brook Beach since 1996. The water quality results indicate fluctuating water quality which periodically was non-compliant with the mandatory standards as set out in the Bathing Water Regulations 1992 (S.I. 155 of 1992) and the EU Directive concerning the quality of Bathing Water (76/160/EEC).

Non-compliant bathing water quality results may be due to a number of factors including: overflows from 3 pump stations within the vicinity of the beach, activities in Howth harbour located in close proximity to the beach, faecal matter from large numbers of birds in the area, faecal matter from domestic animals (dogs and horses) on the beach, misconnections to surface water discharging to the beach. 3. Identified Pressures:

Map 2: Bathing Water Catchment

3.1 Potential pressures in the catchment assessed as posing no risk:

Description: Significant bird colonies are located at Baldoyle Estuary which is adjacent to the designated area. Source: Bird Colonies Type: Bird colony Short Term Pressure: No

3.2 Potential pressures in the catchment assessed as posing risk:

Description: Domestic animals using the beach Source: Domestic Animals Type: Domestic animals on beach Short Term Pressure: Yes Nature: Low Risk Frequency: occasional Duration: < 24 hours Risk Assessment Use of the beach by dog walkers and subsequent dog fouling may pose a risk to bathing water Methodology: quality.

Risk Assessment Use of the beach by dog walkers and subsequent dog fouling may pose a risk to bathing water Results: quality. Details: Occasional pollution Management Continued liaison with the Litter and Dog Wardens to raise public awareness of owner Measures: responsibilities and to raise the level of enforcement action under the Litter Acts.

Description: There are four Pump Stations in the vicinity of Burrow Beach. The Pump Station posing the highest estimated risk to quality of bathing water is located at Burrow Road.

Source: Pumping Stations Type: Other Short Term Pressure: Yes Nature: High Risk Frequency: Occasional Duration: < 24 hours Risk Assessment The risk of microbial impact on the designated bathing water from the pump station may be Methodology: significant as sewage is untreated and discharges via a short outfall to the Sea, immediately west of the bathing area. The MPP has been assessed as HIGH in accordance with the Microbial Pollution Potential (MPP) Grades for sewage outfalls adapted from WHO 2003 - detailed in the EPA Guidance document ‘Guidance for Development of Bathing Water Profiles for Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008 (July 2010).

Microbial Pollution Potential (MPP) = HIGH Overflows discharge directly to the sea adjacent to the bathing water. Water Quality Impact (WQI) = D

The 95 percentiles monitoring results from the last 4 years is estimated at WQI grade B with a value between 41-200 intestinal enterococci (cfu/100ml)

Microbial Pollution Risk (MPR) = HIGH

The MPR is estimated as ‘HIGH’ based on EPA guidelines and may only apply in the event of an overflow, however further investigation is required for this determination to be conclusive. Risk Assessment Microbial Pollution Potential (MPP) = HIGH Results: Overflows discharge directly to the sea adjacent to the bathing water. Water Quality Impact (WQI) = D

Details: The risk is greatest during heavy rainfall events Management There are 3 Pump Stations in the vicinity of the designated bathing area. All are on a telemetry Measures: system which allows for notification of and rapid response to overflows from the Plant. There are also frequent inspections and maintenance of equipment at the Pump Stations. Site inspections shall be increased during the periods of heavy rain when the risk of overflow is greatest.

Two of the Pump Stations, at Burrow Road and Deer Park, have been upgraded as part of the Dublin Bay Contract. The incidence of overflows have been much reduced, and the overflows are now pumped into the old North Dublin Drainage Scheme tunnel and discharge off the Nose of Howth. Only in the most extreme conditions do the overflows go to sea directly. The third Pump Station is a very small serving a few houses and is not prone to overflows.

In the event of bathing water not achieving sufficient quality bathers shall be notified of a potential risk to the water quality by Fingal County Council and advised not to use the designated bathing area. The information is provided via notice board at the beach, by Lifeguards on duty and via the Fingal website www.fingalcoco.ie – this warning system is currently operational during the bathing season.

Description: There is one surface water discharge to the designated bathing and another adjacent to the Burrow Rd pump station. Source: Misconnections to the surface water system Type: Other Short Term Pressure: Yes Nature: Moderate Risk Frequency: ongoing Duration: < 24 hours Risk Assessment Fingal lies within the Eastern River Basin District (ERBD). The designated bathing water forms part Methodology: of the Santry/Mayne/Sluice Water Management Unit (WMU), established for water quality management purposes under the Water Framework Directive (60/EC/2000). A Programme of Measures (POM’s) designed to maintain and improve water quality in the catchment was formulated within the ERBD, River Basin Management Plan (RBMP). All waters must reach ‘good status’ by 2015. The surface water discharges do not form part of the statutory WFD Operational Monitoring Programme so there is currently no water quality data available for this site. Misconnections to the surface water system in the vicinity of Sutton will impact on the bathing water quality. Risk Assessment The surface water discharges do not form part of the statutory WFD Operational Monitoring Results: Programme so there is currently no water quality data available for this site. Misconnections to the surface water system in the vicinity of Sutton will impact on the bathing water quality. Details: Risk from misconnectinos to surface water and overflows within the foul network to surface water are on-going. Management Monitoring of the surface water discharges to the beach will be conducted throughout hte bathing Measures: season.

3.3 Other Risks:

Assessment of the potential for proliferation N/A of cyanobacteria:

Proposed management measures for N/A cyanobacteria:

Assessment of the potential for proliferation Monitoring on the beach has been carried out since 1996. There is no indication of significant of macroalgae: potential for proliferation of Macroalgae on this beach

Proposed management measures for Monitoring on the beach has been carried out since 1996. There is no indication of significant macroalgae: potential for proliferation of Marine Phytoplankton on this beach

Assessment of the potential for proliferation Monitoring on the beach has been carried out since 1996. There is no indication of significant of marine phytoplankton: potential for proliferation of Macroalgae on this beach

Proposed management measures for marine N/A phytoplankton:

Additional Information: None

4 Bathing Water Status From Previous Sampling Years:

2010 2011 2012 2013 Sutton, Burrow Beach Poor Good Good Good

5 Contact Details:

Contact: Fingal County Council Email: [email protected] Address: Environment, Business & Enterprise Department, Inspectorate Division, County Hall, Swords , Co. Dublin Phone: 01 8905000