Sewage Leaks Plague Cullercoats Bay for Years

Cullercoats Bay has faced persistent water quality issues since 2018, with the Environment Agency assigning it the lowest possible rating due to contamination. While groundwater pollution was previously blamed, Northumbrian Water now reports identifying and repairing damaged public and private pipework on Beverley Terrace. These leaks are suspected of contaminating groundwater that eventually seeped into the bay. The company has fixed its damaged pipes and is working with homeowners on private property repairs. They express hope that these actions will significantly improve the bay's bathing water quality. Previous investigations by the company in 2022, which involved installing a drainage pipe, found no evidence that their own assets were the primary cause of pollution. The Environment Agency will conduct further water quality tests to assess the effectiveness of the recent repairs in resolving the years-long pollution problem.