Barnstaple Sewage Treatment Works

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In the past this bathing water was affected by continuous and intermittent discharges of sewage to the Taw/Torridge Estuary. The South West Water sewage treatment scheme for the area collects sewage from the various settlements around the Taw/Torridge Estuary. It is split into two schemes centred on the Ashford (Barnstaple) sewage treatment works (STW) (North Scheme), and a works at Cornborough (South Scheme). The North Scheme at Ashford (Barnstaple) STW, which provided secondary treatment and an outfall to the deep water channel of the Taw Estuary, was completed during 1996 and 1997. The STW was upgraded with ultraviolet (UV) disinfection in October 1997, and flows from the Velator STW were transferred to Ashford at that time. The South Scheme at Cornborough STW, which provides secondary treatment and UV disinfection, was completed in 2003. The scheme included the transfer of sewage from the Rock Nose discharge and other continuous discharges from the south bank of the Taw Estuary to Cornborough STW, and discharge though a 600m outfall at Abbotsham. A number of local sewerage systems with combined sewer overflows (CSO) in Bideford, Appledore, Velator, Fremington and parts of south Barnstaple were also improved or removed as part of the scheme. Improvements were made to eight storm overflows including Yelland CSO, Bideford pumping station (PS), and Instow 'A' PS in April 2004, and a further 22 storm overflows were improved by April 2005. Storm overflow event duration monitoring (EDM) was installed at eleven South West Water assets by April 2011. Further EDM installations and work to reduce the frequency of discharges from 14 CSOs to the Taw/Torridge Estuary are due for completion by April 2019. EDM was installed at five of these CSOs in March 2016.