Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 14, © 1997 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541 Bathing Water Quality and Health Implications C Nelson and A T Williams School of Applied Sciences University of Glamorgan Abstract Considerable controversy exists with respect to water quality at bathing beaches. In the UK, South Wales beaches appear to be at the forefront regarding these views. An exhaustive study investigating water quality and health was carried out at Barry Island, Wales during the summer tourist season. The beach is a very popular holiday resort and attracts some 850,000 during the summer months. It is composed of fine grained sand backed by a sea wall. Water samples were taken at two hourly intervals between 1 1:00 and 15:00 hours over a 6 day period during a hot August period in 1995. Testing was carried out for faecal colifonns and faecal streptococci. Simultaneously, a very detailed questionnaire (n=1276) was distributed to beach users. The questions related to health, food consumed, family history, entry to the water or not, etc. Ten days later a follow up telephone questionnaire was carried out specifically to find if any person had contacted for example, ear problems, gastrointestinal symptoms etc. Twenty four percent of swimmers had illnesses compared to 5% for non-swimmers. Levels of faecal colifonns and faecal streptococci were found to be significantly high (45,000 and 16,000 respectively per 100ml). The survey was continued in 1996 at three South Wales beaches. Emphasis was placed on public perception of beaches and attitudes to seaside award schemes such as the European Blue Flag, investigating the legislative framework through which water quality is controlled and impact on the beach consumer. 1 Introduction A case study was carried out on a popular tourist beach in South Wales, investigating quality of the sea water, health implications of bathing and effectiveness of existing regulation protecting beach users. The crux of the matter centres around EEC Directive 76/160 concerning bathing water [1] which is the fundamental piece of legislation applying to all Member States addressing specifically the issue of water quality at recreational sites,. The Directive has been the cause for much disputation since its introduction over 20 years ago, in 1976. Compliance is based around achieving set values defined Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 14, © 1997 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541 176 Water Pollution for 19 determinands. Two standards are set for most of the parameters, both imperative and the stricter guideline values. Two microbiological parameters are considered to be the most appropriate determinands, total coliforms and escherichia coliforms (E. coli) set at 10,000 and 2,000 per 100ml respectively. In addition to these two indications of sewage contamination, another standard was set for faecal streptococci stipulating a guideline value of 100 per 100ml. Design of this Directive was aimed at amenity value as much as setting health standards, based on thin epidemiological evidence, one of the main criticisms being selection of inappropriate bacterial indicators [2, 3]. Increasing public awareness over environmental concerns has added to the impetus behind reforms to current legislation over recreational waters. The Directive 76/160 is now under review, causing much discontentment, especially in the UK amongst the privatised water companies. It is likely that the most prominent change will be inclusion of an imperative standard for faecal streptococci, and deletion of the total coliform parameter. Although no fixed value is currently set for faecal streptococci, it is now widely accepted that enterococci is a better indicator of health risk than E.coli [4]. Marine pollution is an emotive issue, high on the environmental agenda in South Wales with the recent oil disaster early in 1996 when the Sea Empress tanker was grounded off the Pembrokeshire coastline spilling circa 70 ktons of crude oil. Two years prior to this environmental catastrophe, saw severe cases of neurological disabling symptoms supposedly contracted from swimming occurring in 2 teenagers, at Oxwich Bay, Gower, Wales, known for its impeccable water quality. Although no causal proof was obtained extrapolating their disease back to the water, speculation has increased over the health risk associated with swimming in coastal waters. The Oxwich cases have been of particular interest due to the Bay's consistent compliance with the current EEC Directive on water quality. The question to be addressed is, 'does current legislation ensure adequate protection of health, on which most of the existing beach award schemes are based, including the Blue Flag Award (6) and the Tidy Britain Group (TBG) Seaside Awards (5)?' 2 Physical background. 2.1 Barry Island Site Description Whitmore Bay, Barry Island is a popular coastal resort, lying 10 miles West of Cardiff in the Vale of Glamorgan. The beach is predominantly sandy, south facing on the Bristol Channel with a large surface area of 200,000nf, 800m long and 250m wide to low water; OS reference sheet 171, grid reference 115 663. The resort has a highly developed hinterland both commercial and tourist, including a holiday camp, funfair, amusements, shops, pubs and night-clubs. Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 14, © 1997 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541 Water Pollution 177 Tourism is very important to the area, the beach attracting 850,00 people during 1994 [7] and providing 13.4% of the employment sector [8]. The surrounding town of Barry provides a large catchment with a population of 46 [7], making up 41% of the Borough. The beach coupled with attractions provide a focal point for summer day trips from the surrounding South Wales Valleys and Gwent region, also being within 10 miles of the M4 motorway, creating easy access for holiday makers. 2.2 Oxwich Bay Site Description Oxwich Bay, Gower, West Wales is privately owned by the Penrice Estate, a large proportion of which was declared a National Nature Reserve (NNR) in 1962 by the Nature Conservancy Council and includes a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Although the majority of visitors are attracted to Oxwich Bay for its coastline, a substantial number visit the Reserve. Oxwich Bay is a pocket bay consisting of a fine sandy beach, backed by a varied and extensive sand dune system. Behind the sand dune system is a large freshwater marsh. Wave energy is low. The northern and southern ends of the Bay are flanked by mature broad- leaved woodland. Oxwich point forms the southern boundary of the bay, continuing westwards to Slade Bay following a rocky shoreline with coastal slopes and limestone cliffs. Oxwich is one of the main locations for tourism on Gower and attracts a large number of water sport users. However, it suffers seasonal trends similar to other bays along the Gower coastline. This adds pressure to managing conservation at Oxwich because of the increased population during summer months. Holiday facilities exist in the form of a cafe, static caravan sites, hotel and bar. Information [9]. 2.3 Langland Bay Site Description Langland Bay has a fine grained sandy beach which lies in the most intensively used stretch of Gower coastline, West Wales. It is protected on both sides by headlands, the western side siting a golf course, and is backed by beach chalets, tennis courts and a car park, so has low wave energy. The surrounding area includes Bishop's Wood and contains a Local Nature Reserve and 2 Sites of Special Scientific Interest. West Glamorgan County Council has designated the Bay as an intensive zone aimed at protecting and enhancing the coastline whilst providing facilities to cater for visitors. The Bay and surround provides a cafe and small gift shop selling food and drinks. It is heavily frequented by city residents, tourists which with close proximity to built up areas makes it an ideal destination for day trippers. Langland is also well known for its excellent surf and ideal conditions for water sports. Water based activities which take place include surfing, bathing, canoeing, windsurfing and recreational fishing. Information [9]. Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 14, © 1997 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541 178 Water Pollution 2.4 Cefn Sidan Site Description The beach Cefh Sidan is situated in Pembrey Country Park, an area of circa 2800 ha with a diversity of landscape including saltmarsh, dune system and foreshore. The fine grain sandy beach is large extending 10 km in length from the Pier at Burry Port in the south east to the Gwendraeth Estuary in the north west, backed by a dune system Cefn Sidan is a very popular destination for both locals and holiday makers, receiving 450,000 visitors this year [10,11]. The beach in 1996 was successfully awarded both an Blue Flag and TBG Seaside Award 3 Methodology A prospective epidemiological method was employed where participants in the survey were self selecting in their activity on the beach. There are advantages inherent within this type of investigation over a controlled cohort study recruiting volunteers. The main benefit allows analysis across age groups. It is unethical in the cohort study to recruit young children for participation. Information was collected on the survey days utilising a semi-structured questionnaire to obtain socio-economic data on participants including data on recent dietary habits, contact with members of their family suffering with illness, contact with animals and visits to the beach detailing their behaviour in terms of contact with the sea. This enabled a comparison between the differing levels of sea immersion and a control group consisting of those interviewed who had refrained from entering the water, attempting to eliminate confounding factors. The survey was carried out over a 6 day period in August 1995, during a particularly hot period, temperatures reaching in excess of 24C, water temperature being approximately 19C.