Well, it was for Margate and Broadstairs at least. According to the Marine Conservation Society's latest Good Beach Guide, the new Thanet doo-doo treatment plant built by Southern Water last year 'is benefiting beaches from Margate to Broadstairs'.This bucks the general trend in the South East, which, according to the MCS, 'appears to be paying the price for the rate of new build in the region, with its high population density and extensive house building programmes'. It attributes this year's overall 10% drop in top-grade beaches to the unusually bad summer last year, with all the rain washing those germy borries off the streets and farmland directly into the ocean. Yurgh!
The MCS classified Margate Main Sands as 'recommended', the highest level, which it has achieved for two years on the trot. Viking Bay in Boredstares still only managed a 'basic pass' (the statutory minimum for water quality) for the second year in a row. Ramsgate Sands went from 'basic pass' to 'guideline' (good water quality standard only). Which seems to be a step up, so there may be a chance of getting our Blue Flag back this century!
Meanwhile I see today's Gazunder is reporting a 'huge surge of froth around the Thanet coastline', due to 'molecules of fat and proteins and sex cells from algae trying to breed becoming foamy when churned up with air bubbles'. Time to get out the rubber togs, methinks!
Click here for MCS story on BBC website
Click here for MCS Good Beach Guide
Click here for algae love custard story on Gazunder website
8 comments:
An improvement in Thanet, but not down to Thanet District Council, or it's ineffective masters.
Time to quaff a few liters of endocrine disrupters then? [Hormone mimicking compounds to you and me].
Oh come on this is surely a success story (apart from it has done chuff-all for Ramsgate)!
Richard I think there may be a crossed wire here Ramsgate main sands has gone from basic to guideline, which is high enough for blue flag status. The western undercliff beach has scored MCS recommended the highest standard there is, I suspect that is why it’s used as a lorry driver’s toilet.
I believe that there is a sewage overflow pipe in the vicinity of the main sands, owned by Southern water, which means when we have heavy rain untreated sewage is discharged from it.
'Crossed wire' hardly covers it, Michael. I think both my glass eyes must have fallen out and rolled across the desk. Deary me!
I've rectified it now to reflect the fact that our lovely beach is on the up! Thanks for pointing that out.
Not as bad as MCS this is their description of the lorry drivers lav. “Beach Type: Sand A popular sandy bay backed by high chalk cliffs and near a picturesque harbour. Children's amusements nearby make this an excellent family beach. The Beach receives regular awards, and has been named as one of the 10 top beaches in the UK. Lifeguard cover is available from June to September. first aid from May to September.”
Funny way of viewing children amusements being nearby. Up the cliff and left a bit, oh and you have to pay?
The alternative is to let the little dears play with the foreign traffic exceeding the speed limit. Dear God did anyone from the MCS have a look perhaps i should ask them - in fact i will.
Malcolm
Last year a blue flag was flown on Broadstairs harbour a european flag, think this mislead the pulic as the beach did not meet quality stndards.
Post a Comment