Pembroke's 'poor' water a mystery
THE cause of Pembroke's unstable water quality results is still a mystery, following a year of investigation.
It is the only Guernsey beach to post a poor result over a four-year average, and its weekly tests this summer have been erratic, with six excellents, one good and three poors.
The Bathing Water Partnership – which includes Guernsey Water, Environmental Health and Agriculture Countryside and Land Management – has been looking into the cause over the last year, but has found no proven cause of the poor results.
Guernsey Water water quality risk manager Margaret McGuiness said they had undertaken tidal modelling to try and solve the mystery.
'We did look at the long sea outfall and any effect that could be having around the island, as well as our storm drains,' she said.
'That has shown there is no impact on Pembroke or any beaches that are used for determining bathing quality.'
During one test in May Pembroke posted a result of more than 1,000 intestinal enterococci – bacteria usually found in animal faeces – per 100ml of water. This compares with just 11 being found per 100ml of water in neighbouring Ladies Bay on the same day. That test at Pembroke also posted the largest quantity of E coli of any beach – 2,610 per 100ml of water. Again, Ladies Bay only posted nine on that day.
