Great Ayton STW - Wastewater Treatment Plant in North Yorkshire, England

Great Ayton Sewage Treatment Works (STW) is a wastewater treatment facility located in the village of Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, England. The plant serves a population of around 4,897 residents and has a designed capacity of 1.00, indicating a small-scale operation typical of rural communities in the region. As a United Kingdom facility, Great Ayton STW operates under the Water Industry Act 1991 and is regulated by the Environment Agency. For agglomerations of this size (under 10,000 population equivalent), the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 2003, which transpose the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, require secondary treatment or equivalent. The plant's treatment process is designed to meet these standards to protect receiving waters. The treated effluent from Great Ayton STW discharges into local streams that flow into the River Leven, a tributary of the River Tees. The River Tees drains into the North Sea via the Tees Estuary, an ecologically important area supporting diverse aquatic life and migratory fish species. The plant's operation helps maintain water quality in this sensitive catchment.

Great Ayton STW discharges into local watercourses within the River Leven catchment, which flows into the River Tees and ultimately the North Sea via the Tees Estuary. The Tees Estuary is an ecologically significant area that supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish such as salmon and sea trout. The plant's treatment processes help protect downstream water quality in this important coastal ecosystem.