Middleton Cheney STW - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in West Northamptonshire, England

Middleton Cheney STW is a wastewater treatment plant located in Middleton Cheney, West Northamptonshire, England. It serves a population of approximately 4,420 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under UK and EU regulatory frameworks. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its operations are part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. The designed capacity is 4,680 m³/day, with an average daily discharge volume of 984.05 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. As a UK facility, it operates under permits issued by the Environment Agency, ensuring compliance with environmental standards. The treated effluent is discharged into local rivers that ultimately drain into the River Cherwell, a tributary of the River Thames. The Thames flows through southern England into the North Sea. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of these river systems, supporting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems in the Thames Basin.

The plant discharges into local watercourses that feed into the River Cherwell, a major tributary of the River Thames. The Thames Basin supports diverse aquatic habitats and is an important ecological corridor in southern England. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic loads, mitigating eutrophication risks in downstream waters, including the Thames Estuary and the North Sea.