Warning to swimmers as they’re told to stay out of the water at popular tourist beach
BEACHGOERS have been warned to stay out of the water at a popular tourist beach due to high pollution.
Brits were urged to refrain from swimming for the second day running after The Environment Agency found raised levels of bacteria.
The warning was put in place for Viking Bay, in Broadstairs, Kent, yesterday but visitors are still advised to be careful.
It is thought the increased pollution levels are a result of the stormy weather battering the coastline across the past few days.
In these conditions, more livestock waste, sewage and drainage flows into rivers which run into the sea.
An Environment Agency spokesperson told KentOnline: “Throughout the bathing season, we make daily pollution risk forecasts for a number of bathing waters, where water quality may be temporarily reduced based on factors, such as heavy rainfall, wind or the tide.
“When a temporary reduction in water quality is forecast, we issue a pollution risk warning and advice against bathing.”
Beachgoers at Viking Bay were previously urged to stay out of the water in June.
It occurred when Southern Water sewage systems were deliberately leaked into the sea due to stormy weather – to prevent homes and businesses being flooded instead.
The firm claim 95 per cent of the material washed away is only rainwater and is signed-off on by the Environment Agency.
A Thanet District Council spokesperson said: “In response to a pollution risk warning issued [on Tuesday] by the Environment Agency, the council has displayed signs advising against bathing at Viking Bay in Broadstairs.”
This comes as urgent health warnings were issued to 54 beaches across the UK last month due to sewage pollution.