21/07/2005 - A team of
Environment Agency investigators is using
the latest technology to help one of Torbay’s
most popular holiday beaches – Torre Abbey
Sands – regain its coveted Blue Flag status.
The successful completion, last year, of South
West Water’s ‘Clean Sweep’ programme in Torbay
should have delivered major improvements in
bathing water quality, but mysteriously some
samples are still failing EU bathing water
standards.
Already, this season, there have been several
poor results at Torre Abbey Sands and it looks
as if the beach could be heading for its second
Blue Flag failure in a row. One of the samples
even failed the EU minimum ‘mandatory’ standard.
Rising to the challenge, a special Environment
Agency ‘hit squad’ has teamed up with Torbay
Council to trace the source of the pollution.
Investigators are focussing their efforts
on the Torre Abbey stream that flows across
the beach at Torre Abbey Sands.
Using the very latest technology including
dye tracing, CCTV cameras and a detailed programme
of sampling, the team aims to solve the mystery
in true Agatha Christie fashion.
"Much of the stream is culverted, so
it’s a slow and meticulous job, but we have
already made encouraging progress and discovered
previously unknown pipes, leakages and sewer
connections that could all be contributing
to the problem," said Trevor Cronin,
head of the Environment Agency’s three-man
hit squad.
Among the gadgets in Trevor’s hi-tech weaponry
is a machine he devised himself – a ‘logging
fluorometer’ that can detect coloured dye
even at very low concentrations and provide
valuable clues as to the movement of pollution
as it is travels downstream.
"The CCTV has proved absolutely invaluable.
We have also been assisted by members of the
public who have saved us valuable time by
describing the location of old sewer and drainage
pipes thanks to their local knowledge,"
said Trevor.
"We have an excellent working relationship
with Torbay Council and are working in partnership
with them to ensure any pollution problems
on the Torre Abbey stream are identified and
put right as soon as possible," added
Trevor.
"As part of our commitment to a beautiful,
prosperous Bay, we are working extremely hard
to ensure that the beaches remain at their
highest standard. We recognise the water at
Torre Abbey Sands is not of the same high
quality as some of the beaches across the
Bay and are pleased to be working closely
with the Environment Agency to identify the
source of the problem as quickly as possible,"
said Councillor Chris Lomas, Torbay Council’s
Executive Member for Community.
