RINGWOOD STW - St Ives, Dorset Wastewater Treatment Plant

RINGWOOD STW is a wastewater treatment plant located in St Ives, Dorset, England, serving a population of approximately 16,500. The facility is situated near the Avon Castle area and is part of the region's municipal wastewater infrastructure. As a plant serving a medium-sized agglomeration, it is subject to the UK's implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for populations over 2,000 and more stringent treatment in sensitive areas. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in megaliters per day or similar unit), indicating a scale appropriate for its service population. The treated effluent from RINGWOOD STW is discharged into the local water environment, ultimately draining into the English Channel via the River Avon or nearby coastal waters. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the region's rivers and coastal ecosystems, which support diverse aquatic life and recreational activities.

The plant discharges into the River Avon catchment, which flows into Christchurch Harbour and then the English Channel. This coastal and estuarine environment supports diverse habitats, including salt marshes and mudflats that are important for migratory birds and fish species. The treatment plant helps maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive area, reducing nutrient and pollutant loads that could otherwise impact marine life.