Overview
Bere Alston STW is a secondary treatment plant serving St. Dominick, Cornwall, England. It discharges treated wastewater near the coast, operating under UK environmental regulations.
Bere Alston STW (Sewage Treatment Works) is located in St. Dominick, Cornwall, England, serving a population of approximately 2,222. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the UK, ensuring compliance with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) as transposed into UK law. The plant has a designed capacity of 2,361 cubic meters per day and currently discharges a daily volume of about 495 cubic meters. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. UK regulations require secondary treatment for inland and coastal discharges from agglomerations of this size. The treated effluent is released into the local water environment, ultimately reaching the English Channel via the River Tamar and Plymouth Sound. The coastal location means the discharge must meet stringent standards to protect marine ecosystems, including designated bathing waters and shellfish waters in the area.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the catchment of the River Tamar, which flows into Plymouth Sound and then the English Channel. This coastal area supports diverse marine life, including important fish nurseries and migratory species. The Tamar Estuary is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) known for its rich biodiversity. The secondary treatment provided helps reduce nutrient loading and protect water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.
Frequently asked questions
Bere Alston STW is located in St. Dominick, Cornwall, England, near the village of Bere Alston. The full address is Pump House, Per 10, Bohetherick, St. Dominick, Cornwall, PL12 6SZ.
The plant serves a population of approximately 2,222 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under UK wastewater regulations.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the local water environment, which ultimately flows into the River Tamar and then Plymouth Sound and the English Channel. Being within 10 km of the coast, the discharge is subject to strict environmental standards.
Bere Alston STW provides secondary treatment, which involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. This is the standard required for inland and coastal discharges from agglomerations of this size under the UK's implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
As a UK wastewater treatment plant, Bere Alston STW operates under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) transposed into UK law, along with the Environmental Permitting Regulations. The plant must comply with discharge permits issued by the Environment Agency to protect water quality in the Tamar catchment and coastal waters.
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