Overview
Preesall Knott End STW is a municipal wastewater treatment plant serving approximately 5,800 people in Wyre, Lancashire, England. It discharges treated effluent into the local water environment near the Irish Sea coast.
Preesall Knott End STW is a wastewater treatment plant located in Preesall, near Fleetwood, in the Wyre district of Lancashire, England. The facility serves a population of around 5,800 residents and is part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure. It operates under the regulatory framework of the UK Environment Agency, which enforces discharge standards aligned with the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). As a plant serving a small agglomeration, it is required to provide secondary treatment or equivalent under the Directive. The designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in megalitres per day or similar unit), indicating a modest scale. Typical UK plants of this size use activated sludge or biological filtration systems to meet consent conditions. The plant's treated effluent ultimately reaches the Irish Sea via local watercourses. The area is ecologically sensitive due to its proximity to the coast and the Morecambe Bay estuary, which supports diverse birdlife and marine habitats. The plant plays a key role in protecting these environments from nutrient pollution and pathogens.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Irish Sea near Morecambe Bay, a large estuary of international importance for migratory birds and marine life. The coastal waters support diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish nurseries and shellfish beds. Effective treatment is critical to prevent eutrophication and maintain water quality in this sensitive coastal environment.
Frequently asked questions
Preesall Knott End STW is located in Preesall, near Fleetwood, in the Wyre district of Lancashire, England. Its postcode is FY6 0BA.
The plant serves approximately 5,800 people in the Preesall and Knott End-on-Sea area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local watercourses that flow into the Irish Sea near Morecambe Bay.
The plant operates under the UK Environment Agency's discharge permitting system, which implements the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For a plant serving around 5,800 people, secondary treatment is required.
UK wastewater treatment plants of this scale typically use secondary treatment processes such as activated sludge, trickling filters, or rotating biological contactors to meet consent conditions set by the Environment Agency.
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