West Rainton Leamside STW - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Framwellgate Moor, County Durham

West Rainton Leamside STW is a wastewater treatment plant located in Framwellgate Moor, County Durham, in the North East of England. It serves a population of approximately 2,500 people, classifying it as a small agglomeration under UK regulatory frameworks. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (transposed into UK law) for inland freshwater discharges from agglomerations of this size. The plant has a designed capacity of 2,551 m³/day and currently discharges an average of 556.59 m³/day of treated effluent. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the River Wear and then into the North Sea. The River Wear supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for salmon and sea trout. The plant's operation helps protect the water quality of the River Wear and downstream coastal environment.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the River Wear, which flows eastward through County Durham to the North Sea at Sunderland. The River Wear supports a range of fish species, including salmon and sea trout, and its estuary is an important habitat for wading birds. The secondary treatment provided by the plant helps reduce organic pollution and protect the ecological health of the river and its downstream coastal waters.