Solent Water Quality Association

THE SOLENT WATER QUALITY AWARD SCHEME: OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Solent Water Quality award scheme was launched in 1992 to provide a simple and readily understood indicator of satisfactory water quality at bathing beaches and, where feasible, in recreational waters around the Solent.

1.2 The scheme supplements the various beach and resort award schemes, including the Blue Flag, which are administered by the Tidy Britain Group, and which all deal with many other criteria in addition to water quality.

1.3 The scheme is administered by the Solent Water Quality Association (see Appendix 1 for terms of reference) through its Secretary and its Officers’ Working Group.

Purpose of the Guidelines

1.4 The purposes of this document are to explain how the Solent Water Quality Award scheme works, and to give guidelines to applicants and the award panel in order to help the scheme to operate smoothly.

1.5 The guidelines will be reviewed occasionally, in the light of experience, and up-dated as necessary.

2. OUTLINE OF THE SCHEME
Areas Covered

2.1 All beaches regularly used for bathing, non-designated as well as designated, are eligible for an award under the scheme.

2.2 Water regularly used for recreational activities involving immersion such as water skiing, boardsailing etc. may also be included where the applying authority can show that the sampling results presented are representative of the whole area for which the application is made.

2.3 The scheme applies to the whole Solent, including the main harbours (Portsmouth, Langstone and Chichester) and Southampton Water, and to adjoining coastlines of local authorities in membership of the SWQA. Authorities may also wish to have inland recreational waters considered under the scheme.

2.4 For the purposes of the scheme the extent of bathing beaches and recreational waters are to be defined by the local authority concerned, or jointly by two or more authorities where areas extend across administrative boundaries. Supporting information on the type and extent of recreational use will be required.

2.5 At least one sampling point must be selected in relation to each bathing beach or area of recreational use, and information must be provided to demonstrate that the point(s) selected is/are generally representative of the defined beach or area in terms of water quality criteria. Where the extent of the recreational area is not defined naturally, information should be provided by the local authority on how that area will be delineated/defined to ensure that the public understand to what area of water the award applies.

Standards/Parameters

2.6 The basis of the standard to be used for assessing water quality is the EC Bathing Water Directive. In the short term the parameters used to assess water quality for the scheme are the mandatory bacterial parameters given in the Directive ie. total coliforms (10,000/100ml) and faecal coliforms (2,000/100ml). If a mandatory parameter for faecal streptococci (enterococcus faecalis) is introduced this will immediately be incorporated into the scheme.

2.7 The zero entero-virus and Salmonella parameters are not used because Conference has already recognised that such a standard is unrealistic and has made an approach to the Department of the Environment (DoE) to have the standard amended.

2.8 In addition to compliance with the mandatory bacterial parameters of the Directive, the water must not contain any gross pollution by faeces or other sewage related macro-waste, or persistent occurrence of oil or tar or of a significant smell.

2.9 Following completion of the current DoE programme of epidemiological research into the risks associated with bathing in contaminated water, the results of the research will be used to help define a risk-related standard for bathing waters. The review of the standard is being undertaken by the DoE in association with a panel of experts which includes representatives from the Environment Agency. If a new standard is produced as a result of this review the new standard should be adopted by the SWQC award scheme at the earliest possible opportunity.

How the Scheme Works

2.10 Application for a SWQA Award must be made in accordance with the guidelines in this document, by the owner or manager of the site or area (ie. local authority, National Trust, or private landowner). A separate application must be made for each beach or recreational area.

2.11 The Awards are made by an Awards panel, which has the delegated authority of the Solent Water Quality Association. The panel must follow the guidelines set out in this document.

2.12 The Awards Panel is formed by the Officers Working Group (which services the Conference), and is chaired by the Chairman of the Conference. The Panel members are chosen from authorities and agencies which have not submitted applications for awards, so that it is not affected by vested interests. The Panel must always include a representative of the Environment Agency as the responsible body for monitoring compliance with the EC Bathing Waters Directive.

2.13 The Awards are presented to representatives of the applicants at the annual meeting of the SWQ Association, or at such other time as may be determined by Association, sufficiently in advance of the bathing season to allow applicants reasonable time to comply with the operational requirements of the scheme.

2.14 The onus is on applicants to provide sufficient information for the Awards Panel to make their judgement. The Secretary to the SWQA will examine applications to check that they meet the administrative requirements, and nominated officers from SWQA Officers’ Working Group will check the technical aspects. In both cases the applicant will be given reasonable opportunity to meet the requirements.

2.15 If the applicant is aggrieved that an Award has not been made, an appeal can be made to an independent panel of three persons nominated by the SWQA Officers’ Working Group. The outcome of the appeal must be endorsed by the full OWG.

2.16 The OWG has produced an information leaflet (Appendix 2) to explain to the public how theSWQ Awards Scheme works. This leaflet is distributed through the authorities and agencies that belong to the SWQC.

3. GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS
Submitting Applications

3.1 Applications must be submitted to the Secretary of Solent Water Quality Association on the official application form (see Appendix 3), obtainable from the Secretary. Two copies of the completed form and accompanying maps and other material must be submitted.

3.2 The application must be:

(a) Complete in all respects.

(b) Accompanied by the appropriate fee, which is stated on the application form. (NB. Where the award is not given the fee is not returnable).

c) Submitted by the deadline shown on the form. No applications will be considered after the deadline.

Supporting Information

3.3 Applications must be accompanied by sufficient information to enable the panel to make objective judgements. The credibility of the scheme obviously depends on the independence, objectivity and integrity of the judging panel. This can only be maintained if the quality of the applications is high.

3.4 the actual information to support each application will differ but the following is issued as a guide to the minimum which is expected:

(a) Water quality results for the preceding year must be supplied as a basis for judging the award. For application sites which did not receive an Award in the year immediately preceding, these must be supported by results for TWO previous years for comparison. Sources of changes in the pattern of results (eg. sudden improvement due to removal of an outfall) must be given where available. The results should be in the form of a table (rather than poster).

(b) Evidence that the sample site and results are representative of the area applied for.

(c) Arrangements for sampling for the period to which the award will apply (including sampling programme/body carrying out sampling/analysis).

(d) Arrangements for the display of results at the site for public information.

e) A map, on an Ordnance Survey base (preferably at 1/10,000 scale), showing:

- the area to which the application refers, including the offshore limits (see below*);

- the location of the sampling point(s);

- the location of significant sewage outfalls or other waste discharges, and the direction of currents;

- the location of the public information point(s).

Offshore Limits - in general 200m would apply for a beach or bathing area, and 1000m for wider recreational use such as windsurfing, sailing, etc. (though this may be more limited by the presence of sewage outfalls).

3.5 The onus is on the applicant to provide sufficient information. Awards will not be made where insufficient information is given. If an application is incomplete, or additional technical information is required, the applicant will be notified and given at least 7 days to put the matter right.

3.6 Applicants must show that adequate arrangements have been made to ensure compliance with the provisions of the scheme. In particular, the following requirements must be met.

3.7 Each award location must be provided with information displays to include the following:-
- the award plaque and explanation of the scheme;
- maps or other information to easily and clearly indicate the area to which the award applies;
- water quality results for the area in the standard format agreed by SWQA (See Appendix 4);
- contact number at the Authority for public information/complaints about the area.

3.8 In addition, the SWQA information leaflet about the scheme (see Appendix 2) must be made available to the public.

3.9 Regular sampling of the water in the area must be carried out at the frequency and duration set down in the award application. The sampling, if not done by the Environment Agency, must be carried out to Environment Agency standards.

3.10 Arrangements for the removal of the award in the event of a "failure" shall be made and further samples shall be obtained. The award may not be redisplayed until samples indicate compliance with the standard.

3.11 Award plaques must be removed at the end of September where a seasonal award has been made; (Summer only award).

3.12 General publicity about the presentation of the SWQ Awards will be carried out by the Authority hosting Conference. Applicants may wish to supplement this by making their own arrangements for more specifically targeted publicity for their Award sites.

3.13 The local authority shall deal with all enquiries and complaints relating to the award area. The award panel may on receipt of complaint require the Authority concerned to provide information.

3.14 The award panel may, on receipt of information that an area is not complying with the conditions of the scheme, withdraw the award.

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