CAMBRIDGE STW, South Cambridgeshire

Overview

CAMBRIDGE STW serves approximately 144,000 people in South Cambridgeshire, England. The plant operates under the UK's implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

CAMBRIDGE STW is a wastewater treatment plant located in South Cambridgeshire, England, serving a population of around 144,000. It is situated near the River Cam and plays a key role in managing wastewater from the Cambridge area. As a large agglomeration serving over 100,000 people, the plant is required to meet stringent treatment standards under the UK's transposition of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). This typically involves secondary treatment and, in sensitive areas, tertiary treatment to reduce nutrients. The treated effluent is discharged into the River Cam, which flows through the Cambridgeshire Fens and eventually into the North Sea via the Great Ouse. The plant helps protect the local aquatic ecosystem and downstream water quality in this ecologically important region.

Environmental context

The plant discharges into the River Cam, a chalk stream that supports diverse aquatic life including brown trout and water voles. The river flows through the Cambridgeshire Fens, a low-lying agricultural region, before joining the Great Ouse and draining into the Wash, an ecologically sensitive estuary on the North Sea. The area is important for migratory birds and wetland habitats.

Frequently asked questions

CAMBRIDGE STW is located in South Cambridgeshire, England, near the River Cam. Its address is Cam Towpath, Milton, South Cambridgeshire, Cambridgeshire, CB5 8SX.

CAMBRIDGE STW serves approximately 144,000 people, classifying it as a large agglomeration under UK wastewater regulations.

The treated effluent from CAMBRIDGE STW is discharged into the River Cam, which flows through the Cambridgeshire Fens and eventually into the North Sea via the Great Ouse.

As a large treatment plant in the UK, CAMBRIDGE STW operates under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations, which implement the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. These require secondary treatment and potentially tertiary treatment for sensitive areas.

For a plant of this size in the UK, standard practice includes secondary treatment (biological treatment) and often tertiary treatment to remove nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, especially if discharging into sensitive waters like the River Cam.