ST IVES STW Wastewater Treatment Plant, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire

ST IVES STW is a wastewater treatment plant located in St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, England. It serves a population of around 15,274, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under UK regulations. The plant is part of the region's water infrastructure managed by the local water authority. As a UK wastewater facility, ST IVES STW operates under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations, which transpose the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. For a plant serving over 10,000 people, secondary treatment is typically required, with tertiary treatment in sensitive areas. The plant's discharge is regulated by the Environment Agency through a permit that sets limits on effluent quality. The treated effluent from ST IVES STW is discharged into local watercourses that feed into the Great Ouse river system, which flows through the Fens and into The Wash, an ecologically important estuary on the North Sea coast. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of these downstream environments.

ST IVES STW discharges into the Great Ouse river basin, which drains through the Cambridgeshire Fens into The Wash estuary. The Wash is a large tidal embayment that supports diverse bird populations and marine life, including important nursery grounds for fish. The plant's treatment helps maintain water quality in this sensitive coastal ecosystem, which is influenced by agricultural runoff and urban inputs from the region.