Overview
Burnham Market STW serves the King's Lynn and West Norfolk area of Norfolk, England, treating wastewater for a population of approximately 5,636. The plant discharges into the local environment, contributing to the protection of the North Sea coastal
Burnham Market STW is a wastewater treatment plant located in Burnham Overy, near King's Lynn and West Norfolk in Norfolk, England. It serves a population of around 5,636, making it a small agglomeration under UK and EU classifications. The plant is situated in a rural coastal area, close to the North Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As a UK wastewater facility, Burnham Market STW operates under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations 1994, which transpose the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The plant has a designed capacity of 1.00 (likely in megalitres per day or similar unit), indicating it is sized to handle the local population's wastewater. The treated effluent from Burnham Market STW is discharged into the local water environment, ultimately reaching the North Sea via the River Burn or nearby coastal waters. This area supports diverse aquatic life and is an important habitat for migratory birds. The plant plays a key role in maintaining water quality in the sensitive coastal ecosystem of the North Norfolk coast.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the local catchment that drains to the North Sea via the River Burn and the North Norfolk coast. This coastal area is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse bird populations and marine life. The region is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest, which hosts important saltmarsh and dune habitats. Proper wastewater treatment is essential to protect these fragile ecosystems from nutrient pollution and pathogens.
Frequently asked questions
Burnham Market STW is located on Wells Road in Burnham Overy, near King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Norfolk, England, postcode PE31 8HU.
The plant serves a population of approximately 5,636, classifying it as a small agglomeration under UK wastewater regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local water environment, likely into the River Burn or nearby coastal waters, which ultimately flow into the North Sea.
As a UK plant, it operates under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations 1994, implementing the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size.
For small agglomerations (under 10,000 population equivalent) in the UK, secondary treatment is typically required, involving biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids.
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