CLOPHILL STW - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Clophill, Central Bedfordshire, England

CLOPHILL STW is a wastewater treatment works located in Clophill, a village in Central Bedfordshire, England. The facility serves a population of around 6,271, placing it in the small agglomeration category under UK regulations. It operates within the framework of the UK's Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations, which transpose the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. As a small-scale treatment plant, CLOPHILL STW is expected to provide at least secondary treatment to meet environmental standards. UK regulations require compliance with discharge consents issued by the Environment Agency. These consents set limits on biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, and ammonia to protect receiving waters. The treated effluent from CLOPHILL STW is discharged into local watercourses that flow into the River Flit, a tributary of the Great Ouse. The Great Ouse drains into the Wash, an ecologically important estuary on the east coast of England. The plant's location inland, more than 50 km from the coast, reduces direct marine impact, but its discharge contributes to the overall water quality in the Great Ouse basin, which supports diverse aquatic life and is used for recreation and agriculture.

CLOPHILL STW discharges into the River Flit, a tributary of the Great Ouse, which flows into the Wash estuary. The Wash is a large embayment and a site of international importance for migratory birds and marine life. The plant's effluent, treated to secondary standards, helps maintain water quality in the catchment, which is subject to pressures from agriculture and urban runoff. The Great Ouse basin supports a range of fish species and is designated for its ecological value.