WILPSHIRE STW - Ribble Valley, Lancashire Wastewater Treatment Plant

WILPSHIRE STW is a wastewater treatment plant located in Clayton-le-Dale, near Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. It serves a population of approximately 3,042 people and treats an average daily flow of 677.25 m³. The plant is part of the United Kingdom's wastewater infrastructure, which is regulated under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994, transposing the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment stage required for inland discharges under UK regulations. Its designed capacity is 3,184 m³/day, indicating it operates well below capacity. The plant's treatment process is typical for small agglomerations, ensuring compliance with environmental standards for organic matter and suspended solids removal. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the River Ribble catchment, ultimately reaching the Irish Sea. The Ribble catchment supports diverse aquatic life and is important for migratory fish species. The plant's operation helps protect water quality in this ecologically sensitive river system.

The plant discharges into the River Ribble catchment, which flows westward through Lancashire to the Ribble Estuary and into the Irish Sea. The catchment supports salmon and sea trout populations, as well as diverse freshwater habitats. The Ribble Estuary is an important site for overwintering wading birds and wildfowl, making nutrient and pollutant control critical for maintaining ecological balance.