Overview
Charmouth STW is a secondary treatment plant serving 3,621 people in Charmouth, Dorset, England. It discharges 806.16 m³/day of treated wastewater near the Jurassic Coast.
Charmouth STW (Sewage Treatment Works) is a municipal wastewater facility located in Charmouth, a coastal village in Dorset, England. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,621 and operates under the regulatory framework of the UK Environment Agency, which enforces the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) for European Union member states (retained in UK law post-Brexit). As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant has a designed capacity of 6,517 m³/day and currently treats an average flow of 806.16 m³/day, indicating significant spare capacity. Secondary treatment typically involves activated sludge or trickling filter systems. The facility is subject to discharge permits that set limits on biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and suspended solids, in line with UWWTD standards for agglomerations of this size. Charmouth STW discharges treated effluent into the local environment, ultimately reaching the English Channel via the River Char. The receiving waters are ecologically sensitive due to the proximity of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (though not named in the output). The plant plays a key role in protecting coastal water quality and supporting marine biodiversity in Lyme Bay.
Environmental context
The treated effluent from Charmouth STW enters the River Char, a small coastal river that flows through Charmouth and discharges into Lyme Bay on the English Channel. The downstream environment includes the Jurassic Coast, a globally significant geological and ecological area. The plant's discharge must comply with strict nutrient and pollutant limits to safeguard the sensitive marine ecosystem, which supports diverse aquatic life and important migratory fish species.
Frequently asked questions
Charmouth STW is located in Charmouth, a coastal village in Dorset, England, near the River Char and the Jurassic Coast.
The plant serves a population of approximately 3,621 people in Charmouth and the surrounding area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the River Char, which flows into Lyme Bay on the English Channel.
Charmouth STW operates under the UK Environment Agency's permitting system, which implements the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) standards for secondary treatment and discharge quality.
For agglomerations of this size, the UWWTD requires secondary treatment, which typically involves biological processes like activated sludge or trickling filters to reduce organic matter and suspended solids.
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