SUDBURY STW - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Babergh, Suffolk, England

SUDBURY STW is a wastewater treatment plant located on Brundon Lane in Sudbury, Babergh, Suffolk, England. It serves a population of around 15,773, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under UK water industry standards. The facility is situated inland, approximately 50 km from the coast, and its treated effluent is discharged into the local river system. As a UK wastewater treatment plant, SUDBURY STW operates under the Water Industry Act 1991 and the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994, which transpose the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. For a population of this scale, secondary treatment is typically required, with tertiary treatment applied if the receiving water is designated as sensitive. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in megaliters per day or similar units), indicating a moderate scale of operation. The treated effluent from SUDBURY STW is discharged into the River Stour, which flows through the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty before reaching the North Sea at Harwich. The river supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor in Suffolk. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in this sensitive riverine environment.

SUDBURY STW discharges into the River Stour, which flows southeast through Suffolk and Essex, eventually reaching the North Sea at Harwich. The river supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as brown trout and grayling, and is part of a landscape with high ecological sensitivity. The plant's treatment processes help maintain water quality in this important river system.