Overview
Camborne & Redruth STW serves 58,579 people in Cornwall, England. The plant operates under the UK's implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, ensuring secondary treatment for this large agglomeration.
Camborne & Redruth Sewage Treatment Works (STW) is a municipal wastewater facility serving the towns of Camborne and Redruth in Cornwall, England. With a population equivalent of 58,579, it is classified as a large agglomeration under UK and EU regulations. The plant is located near the B3301 road in the Coombe area, within the historic mining district of Cornwall. As a plant serving over 50,000 people, it is required to meet secondary treatment standards under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which is transposed into UK law. The designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in megaliters per day or similar units), indicating a facility sized to handle the local population's wastewater. The plant is operated as part of South West Water's regional network, which manages wastewater services across Devon and Cornwall. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the English Channel via the Fal Estuary or nearby coastal waters. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 50 km) means its discharge must meet stringent environmental standards to protect marine ecosystems, including designated bathing waters and shellfish waters along the Cornwall coast. The region's economy relies heavily on tourism and fishing, making water quality a priority.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge ultimately reaches the English Channel, a vital marine environment supporting diverse aquatic life and commercial fisheries. The local watershed includes the Red River and other streams that flow through the historic mining area, which has legacy metal contamination. The treatment plant plays a key role in reducing nutrient and pollutant loads to protect downstream estuaries and coastal habitats, including important nursery grounds for fish and migratory bird populations.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located near the B3301 road in Coombe, Camborne, Cornwall, England, TR14 0BN, United Kingdom.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 58,579 people, covering the towns of Camborne and Redruth.
Treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the English Channel via the Fal Estuary or nearby coastal waters.
As a UK plant serving over 50,000 people, it operates under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment and, where necessary, tertiary treatment for sensitive areas.
Plants of this scale in the UK are required to provide at least secondary treatment. Many also incorporate nutrient removal to meet water quality standards in sensitive catchments like those in Cornwall.
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