At the East Suffolk Catchment Plan (ESCP) workshop organised by the Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust (ESRT) on 08Feb24, Alison Parnell of the Environment Agency was asked about the outcome of EA’s regular water testing programme at Waldringfield (now that it has Bathing Water status). She explained that the water quality data is gathered regularly, uploaded frequently and is publicly available online. The EA has also prepared a simple handout explaining how to access and interpret the data.

The Bathing Water Regulations 2013 set out the bathing water ‘season’, which runs from 15 May to 30 September each year. The EA is required to test for two types of bacteria, and Waldringfield is sampled twenty times a season. At the workshop, she outlined the results of water testing in 2023, and she subsequently emailed us the EA report on Waldringfield Water Quality .

The report states that an Environment Agency sample taken on 2nd September was high in bacteria, both Escherichia coli (E. Coli) and Intestinal Enterococci. Without this sample, the overall water quality classification would have been ‘Good’ for 2023. On that date, the water levels were particularly high, and the entire beach and intertidal marshland was covered by the tide, leading to potentially worse than usual water quality due to the influx of rotted vegetation and bacteria from wildlife, dogs, or livestock from the rear of the marsh and strand lines. They investigated further using Microbial Source Tracking, and the samples showed evidence for faecal pollution from seabirds, dogs, pigs and some human non-faecal sources.

However, there are many factors that affect water quality, not just these two bacterial strains, and so this analysis by the EA should be considered in the context of other research, such as that by Bill Brammar and David Findley on E. Coli and phosphate levels in the upper reaches of the river.

Strengthening Coastal Community Partnership

This year we have again secured financial support from the Environment Agency’s ‘Championing Coastal Coordination’ fund, and we are pleased to invite community organisations from across the Deben Estuary to share their experiences, learning, and engagement at this informal workshop in Woodbridge. This event – a day of short talks, focussed discussion groups, and a networking lunch – will be an opportunity for us as individuals and communities to support and learn from each other.

Drawing on the highly successful beach monitoring project by the Bawdsey and Alderton communities over the past decade, and the creation and continued development of information and action centres across the catchment, we will be exploring how we can collectively expand and contribute to a local forum that enables a healthy exchange of information between the many and varied community groups engaged in projects and campaigns across the entire estuary.

As well as the immediate learning and networking benefits, key insights from the day and the participants will provide valuable input for the new Estuary Management Plan.

RSVP with any specific food requirements by 29 February 2024 to Helene Burningham: debensoundings@gmail.com

The Deben Climate Centre (a DEP partner organisation) have today published a detailed report on E.coli and phosphate pollution in the River Deben. Written by scientists and local residents Bill Brammar PhD and David Findley PhD, it is the result of more than 12 months of sampling and testing results from 26 locations in the upper, non-tidal reaches of the River Deben.

As set out in our constitution, DEP must hold at least one public meeting each year. So our next DEP meeting (January 2024) will be open to the public.

Date and Time: 09:30 to 11:30 on 18 January 2024

Location: Deben Room, East Suffolk Council offices, Melton, Suffolk IP12 1RT

The Suffolk Coast Forum ‘takes a partnership approach to flood and coastal erosion risk management on the coast and estuaries and closely related issues in the context of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management approach’ The partner organisations include: Alde & Ore Community Partnership; Stour & Orwell Estuaries Management Group; Bawdsey Coastal Partnership; Blythe Estuary Partnership; and the Deben Estuary Partnership. Other member organisations include: Environment Agency, Natural England; Suffolk Coasts and Heaths AONB; Coastal Partnership East; Marine Management Organisation; and others. The Forum is chaired by Councillor David Bevan.