Water Quality in the Witterings
Water Quality & Our Coastline
As surfers, swimmers, and sea-goers, we spend more time in the water than most. Shore has been based in Wittering for over 40 years, and we feel the right thing to do is help guide anyone who wants to go in the sea locally on what the real deal is.
Along our stretch of coastline from West Wittering to Selsey Bill there are no direct sewage outfalls on the beach. None of the pipes you see along the shoreline discharge raw sewage into the surf.
The nearest sewage outflow that truly affects us is located at the very top of Chichester Harbour. Generally, this plant performs relatively well compared to many others, but discharges do happen. Because of its location, any water released has to travel through mudflats, marshes, oyster beds, reeds, and sediments. All of this provides natural filtering and dilution long before water ever reaches the harbour entrance.
Spring “May Bloom” – Don’t Panic, It’s Natural
Every year, usually between late April and early June, our coastline goes through a natural event known as a spring algal bloom (often called “May Bloom”). This can make the water look murky, green, foamy, or cloudy, and it’s easy to mistake it for pollution.
This bloom happens when sunlight increases and sea temperatures start to rise. Microscopic algae grow rapidly, feeding off nutrients carried down from rivers and farmland. It’s not sewage-based and it’s been happening in healthy oceans for thousands of years.
Sometimes the bloom can smell a bit “earthy” and may create surface scum or brown/green streaks in the surf. It can make the water look less inviting, but in most cases it’s not dangerous for swimmers or surfers and is simply part of the seasonal cycle of the sea.
If blooms happen outside the spring season or smell strongly of chemicals or fuel, that’s when it’s worth contacting local authorities or letting us know in store.
“Beach Pipes” – What Are They?
Many visitors assume these are sewage pipes. They’re not. These outlets are land drainage flows designed to prevent flooding after rainfall. They release groundwater and rain run-off from surrounding farmland and roads.
After heavy rain, these outlets can run harder than usual and may carry increased silt, soil, and farm run-off, but they are not connected to sewage works and do not pump human waste into the sea.
Are they perfect? No. After heavy rainfall they can temporarily reduce water quality right in front of them, and in rare cases may carry bacteria from farmland. But they are not sewage discharges and shouldn’t be confused with them.
Why Is the SAS App Flagging Bracklesham?
You might have seen a “polluted” alert on the Surfers Against Sewage app recently. SAS have confirmed this is due to a backend change that temporarily links Bracklesham/Wittering to monitoring data from Sandown on the Isle of Wight.
Sandown’s outflow is nearly 20 nautical miles away (over 35 km) across open water. The Solent exchanges billions of litres of water every tidal cycle, with current speeds often exceeding 1–1.5 metres per second. By the time water travels that distance, it has gone through multiple tidal exchanges, dilution, and dispersion.
SAS are flagging our beach as a precaution only — not due to any confirmed sewage event here. They prefer to err on the side of caution, which we respect and support.
How Can You Check Local Water Quality?
- Check the Chichester Harbour data. This is the main outflow that affects our beaches. If it’s red for multiple days, the risk is higher.
- Ask us in store or on social media. We surf here daily and hear from hundreds of local swimmers and surfers.
- Observe conditions. Heavy rain, strong land drainage, or unusual scum outside spring bloom season can reduce water quality temporarily.
Thankfully, illnesses linked to our stretch of beach remain rare, even though our staff and customers spend a huge number of hours in the water all year.
What Are We Doing Next?
We’re currently working with local businesses to begin our own independent water testing programme for the Wittering/Bracklesham coastline. This is at an early stage, but several organisations are already keen to support it.
We will continue to run regular beach cleans. While this doesn’t directly affect water quality, removing plastics, fishing debris, nappies, and waste prevents microplastics and chemicals from breaking down into the sea.
Our goal is simple: clear, honest data backed by local knowledge, not greenwashing or scaremongering. We love these beaches and we want to protect them properly.