BATHING BAN ON THANET'S COASTLINE CONTINUES

Beach users are still being urged to stay out of the sea and to avoid
walking below the high tide line across all Thanet beaches. That’s the
message following a major discharge of sewage from the Southern Water
Foreness Point Sewage Pumping Station.

Cleansing crews from Thanet District Council have been working hard
over the bank holiday weekend to clear the shoreline and beaches of
debris. 

The Environment Agency has undertaken a number of water quality tests
which will then be used to help determine when it is safe to lift the
restriction on bathing in the sea.

To inform the public, signage has been placed across Thanet’s beaches
and bays by Southern Water, with the council placing additional signs to
reinforce the message. Red flags have been in place on lifeguarded
beaches and RNLI lifeguards have also assisted in communicating the
message to visitors on the beach.

Although members of the public are being asked to stay out of the sea,
the beaches and promenades are still safe to use and beach concessions
are open for business as usual.

Director of Operational Services, Mark Seed, said: “This decision is
not something we’ve taken lightly. Preventing people from swimming in
the sea is not something we want to do, but in the circumstances this
was the only possible course of action. Our crews have been out working
hard to clear up the shoreline all bank holiday to ensure the beaches
are still open for business, and we have teams out across Thanet today
as part of this. The decision to lift this restriction will be made as
soon as we know it’s safe to do so and, in the meantime, our advice to
the public is to stay out of the sea until further notice is given.”

Jon Griffin, Senior Environment Officer with the Environment Agency
said: "We are working in partnership with Thanet District Council and
other organisations to monitor the impacts of this event. We are
awaiting the results of bathing water quality tests to make informed
decisions with Thanet District Council about the re-opening of
Thanet’s waters for bathing.”