Overview
Riverhead Wastewater Treatment Facility serves St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is an operational plant serving approximately 164,586 people, located near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
Riverhead Wastewater Treatment Facility is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on Southside Road in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It serves a population of approximately 164,586, making it a large agglomeration under Canadian wastewater management standards. The plant is situated near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, reflecting the region's coastal geography. As a large-scale facility in Canada, the plant operates under federal and provincial regulations, including the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and the Newfoundland and Labrador Water Resources Act. These frameworks require appropriate treatment levels to protect receiving waters. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in million cubic meters per year or similar unit), indicating a substantial infrastructure investment to serve the St. John's metropolitan area. The treated effluent from the plant discharges into the Atlantic Ocean via the St. John's Harbour and the surrounding coastal waters. This marine environment supports diverse aquatic life, including fish stocks and marine mammals, and is an important ecological and economic resource for the region. The plant's operation is critical to maintaining water quality in the harbor and the broader North Atlantic ecosystem.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Atlantic Ocean through St. John's Harbour, which is part of the larger Avalon Peninsula coastal ecosystem. This marine environment supports a variety of fish species, seabirds, and marine mammals, and is influenced by the cold Labrador Current. The area is ecologically sensitive due to its role as a habitat and migratory corridor for species such as Atlantic cod and humpback whales.
Frequently asked questions
The facility is located on Southside Road in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
The plant serves approximately 164,586 people, making it a large-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility for the St. John's metropolitan area.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean via St. John's Harbour, contributing to the marine environment of the Avalon Peninsula.
The plant operates under Canadian federal regulations such as the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and provincial regulations including the Newfoundland and Labrador Water Resources Act, which set standards for wastewater treatment and discharge.
For large agglomerations in Canada, secondary treatment is typically required to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, with additional disinfection or nutrient removal if discharging into sensitive coastal waters.
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