Colchester Water Recycling Centre
Storm overflow operated by Anglian Water. The source names Colne Estuary as the receiving water.
- 20
- Spills in 2025
- 63.3
- Recorded hours
- 100%
- Monitor operation
- 5
- Years listed
The reported spill count was 32 lower than in 2024. This compares event counts, not discharge volume.
Checking the latest monitor report…
How it compares in 2025
Colchester Water Recycling Centre recorded 20 spills in 2025. That is more than 63% of the 14,239 overflows in England with a reported figure, and ranks 5,045th nationally. Among Anglian Water overflows it ranks 274th of 1,438; the median Anglian Water overflow recorded 6 spills. On the Colne waterbody it ranks 2nd of 21.
| Group | Rank by spills | Median spills | Median hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| This outlet | – | 20 | 63.3 |
| England | 5,045th of 14,239 | 11 | 22.3 |
| Anglian Water | 274th of 1,438 | 6 | 13.5 |
| Colne | 2nd of 21 | 8 | 5.7 |
Rank 1 has the most spills. Equal counts share a rank. Only overflows with a reported count are ranked. Counts do not measure volume, so a higher rank does not mean more sewage.
Annual spill history
| Year | Spills | Duration | Monitor operation | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | 63.3 hours | 100% | Official data |
| 2024 | 52 | 328.7 hours | 100% | Official data |
| 2023 | 33 | 183.6 hours | 98.3% | Official data |
| 2022 | 6 | 8.5 hours | 21%Low coverage | Official data |
| 2021 | 28 | 158.1 hours | 82.4%Low coverage | Official data |
A missing figure means the source did not provide a usable value. A zero is shown as zero. Monitor operation below 90% can make comparison less reliable.
Outlet details
- Water company
- Anglian Water
- Outlet type
- Storm tank at a wastewater treatment works
- Permit
- ASETS1046
- Activity reference
- A2
- Grid reference
- TM0225023610
- Waterbody ID
- GB520503713800Official waterbody record ↗
- Location source
- Official annual grid reference
- Location precision
- About 1 metres
- Location note
- Unknown
About the name and type
The annual return lists this asset as “Storm tank at WwTW”: storm tank at a wastewater treatment works. The overflow comes from storm storage at a treatment works.
The waterbody link opens the Environment Agency record for the exact ID in the return. It is a source lookup; we do not import its classification.
Where it is
The recorded position is about 2.1 km north of the Rowhedge reference point in the ONS built-up areas data.
Area and water pages
Check the official record
Public access to this outlet is unknown. Do not enter restricted land or use this page as a route guide.
Open official source ↗Other outlet records nearby
- Colchester STWCurrent status unknown
Anglian Water · Colne Estuary
- Colchester STWCurrent status unknown
Anglian Water · Colne Estuary
- Colchester-Haven Rd OvCurrent status unknown
Anglian Water · Tidal River Colne
- Colchester-Bourne Mill OvCurrent status unknown
Anglian Water · The Bourne Brook
Questions about Colchester Water Recycling Centre
- Who operates Colchester Water Recycling Centre?
- Anglian Water is the operator named in the annual record. The permit reference is ASETS1046.
- Where does Colchester Water Recycling Centre discharge?
- The source names Colne Estuary as the receiving water. This does not show how far a discharge travelled.
- How many times did Colchester Water Recycling Centre spill in 2025?
- The 2025 return records 20 counted spill events and 63.3 hours of recorded discharge. Spills are counted with the 12/24-hour method, so this is not a count of every start signal.
- Can I trust the 2025 figures for this outlet?
- The monitor worked for 100% of the reporting period, so the annual figures cover most of the year. They still do not measure discharge volume.
- Is Colchester Water Recycling Centre discharging right now?
- This record is linked to a company live feed. The panel above shows the latest report we hold, with its date. That report can be old, and the monitor can be offline, so check the date before relying on it. A report that no discharge is taking place is not a water-quality result.
- How accurate is the map marker?
- The marker comes from the grid reference in the official annual return, which is accurate to about 1 metres. It shows the recorded outlet position, not the extent of any discharge.
- What kind of outlet is Colchester Water Recycling Centre?
- The annual return lists the asset type as “Storm tank at WwTW”, which means storm tank at a wastewater treatment works. The overflow comes from storm storage at a treatment works.
- How does Colchester Water Recycling Centre compare with other overflows?
- Colchester Water Recycling Centre recorded 20 spills in 2025. That is more than 63% of the 14,239 overflows in England with a reported figure, and ranks 5,045th nationally. Among Anglian Water overflows it ranks 274th of 1,438; the median Anglian Water overflow recorded 6 spills. On the Colne waterbody it ranks 2nd of 21. Ranks compare counted spill events only. They do not compare volume or harm.
- Does zero spills mean the water was safe?
- No. A zero means the annual return recorded zero counted spill events for this outlet and year. It is not a water-quality test, and pollution can come from other sources.