APPLEBY STW - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Appleby-in-Westmorland, England

APPLEBY STW is a wastewater treatment facility located in Crackenthorpe, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Westmorland and Furness, England. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,818 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under UK and EU regulatory frameworks. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for inland freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 4,077 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 850.02 m³/day, the facility operates well within its capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the River Eden, which flows into the Solway Firth and then the Irish Sea. The River Eden is a significant ecological corridor, supporting diverse aquatic life including Atlantic salmon and freshwater pearl mussels.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the River Eden, which flows through the Eden Valley to the Solway Firth, an ecologically important estuary. The River Eden is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its diverse habitats and species, including salmon and otter populations. The Solway Firth supports extensive birdlife and is a key migratory route. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect these downstream ecosystems from nutrient pollution and organic loading.