- Safety 1st: Testing helps us identify any potential contaminants or pollutants that could pose health risks.
- Environmental Protection: Monitoring water quality helps us track any changes or trends in the ecosystem. If we detect any adverse environmental impacts, we can act swiftly.
- Customer Confidence: We build trust with our customers by consistently providing clean and safe water. Your health and well-being are our top priority.
- Preventing Outbreaks: Regular testing helps detect any early signs of waterborne illnesses or outbreaks, allowing us to take swift action to prevent further spread.
- Quality Improvement: Testing provides data that ensures we continually strive for the best possible water quality.
- Adaptation to Changing Conditions: Environmental conditions can change over time due to weather patterns or human activities. Regular testing helps us adapt our practices to maintain high water quality regardless of external influences.
Water quality matters!
We absolutely love water sports and understand how frustrating it can be when the water isn’t as clean as we’d like it to be, especially in the sea and rivers. That’s why we regularly test our water to guarantee you can have a fantastic time with your water-based activities without any worries about its safety. You can trust that our water won’t cause you any harm!
Why do we test the water quality?
Water heals, it can also harm
Where does our water come from?
Crisp, Clean and 100% fresh
Currently, the lake is 100% rain & borehole fed. Our borehole pumps fresh, clean water from 60m underground directly into the lake. The water will always be refreshingly crisp, clean and 100% fresh.
The borehole water is tested regularly to ensure it too is perfectly safe for you!
How do we test the water?
Test, test and test again
We work with Mercian Science and test the water monthly. They send us pre-prepared test water bottles to collect water samples from each corner of the lake (N, E, S, W & the centre). We then carefully complete the paperwork, which includes the time the samples were taken, by whom, and the exact location. Mercian Science collects our samples, analyses them and then sends us the results, which we share on the top right of every web page.
What would we do if the results were poor?
You'd be the first to know!
Suppose the results return with unacceptable levels of E. coli*, Intestinal Enterococci*, or any other coliform nasties. In that case, we will shut down the lake and cancel all water-based activities until we have rectified the problems. This has never happened before, and we don’t plan to let it happen, but if it should, we are ready to do what it takes to keep you safe. For example, we would not let you into the water… Sad, but like we’ve said we work hard to avoid this.
How do we keep the lake clean?
Refresh, Wash, Scrub, Oxygenate
Luckily, the West Country Water Park lake is at the top of a hill. This means we don’t have any nasties flowing off local farms, roads or streams. Bonus!
To fight algae, we use barley bales, which we swap out once a year.
We also recirculate about 30 million litres of water, circa 50% of the total capacity, annually through evaporation, and we use the lake water to water the grounds plantation, too. The plants love lake water almost as much as we do.
We are always looking for ways to make the lake safer and cleaner. It is not a pool and as such, it will always be the colour it is due to the natural clay bottom. When we get lots of visitors using the lake, sometimes the muddy clay bottom gets stirred up. Whilst it is not as beautiful as when it’s been beautifully still, it is not “dirty” just muddy.
Wildlife impact on the water
Creatures everywhere
We do have wildlife, birds, newts, fish and more for example, that live on, in and around the water, and they can be problematic as they poo in the lake, uuurgh. Luckily, nature if left alone balances itself very well.
To prevent any imbalances we oxygenate and circulate the water to prevent coliforms from forming.
Did you know that fish eat bird poop? They also eat the midgies, another reason not to feed and to learn to love them.
What about the weeds?
Weed... good and bad
We have grown to hate weeds, or rather the weeding itself. They grow like weeds these weeds 🙂
They are not harmful, but to keep them down, we regularly rake the bottom with our weedy boat.
Can you drink the lake’s water?
Better not, but it wont hurt
Strictly speaking, NO.
In real terms, you can, but as it is not 100% clear of every metal, mineral and bacteria, you should not drink it. When you Swim, Waterski, play on the Aqua Park, Paddleboard, etc, you might ingest some of the lake water, but this should not cause you any harm.
We swim every day and we have never had any issues.
Why is the lake green?
Colloidal clay
The lake bottom is clay, and the clay has diffused into the water, giving it that lovely green colour.