Ada WWTP and Sewer System - Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Ada, Ohio

Ada WWTP and Sewer System is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Ada, Ohio, a village in Hardin County. The plant serves a population of about 5,582 people, typical of a small community in the Midwestern United States. As a publicly owned treatment works (POTW), it operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, administered by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. Plants of this scale in Ohio commonly employ secondary treatment, such as activated sludge or lagoon systems, to meet effluent limits. The facility's designed capacity is not disclosed, but its population equivalent suggests a moderate-sized plant. Under the Clean Water Act, such facilities must comply with technology-based effluent limitations and water quality standards to protect receiving waters. The plant's treated effluent is discharged to a local stream that ultimately drains into the Scioto River, a major tributary of the Ohio River. The Scioto River basin supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities. The plant's operations are critical for maintaining water quality in this watershed, particularly for preventing nutrient pollution and protecting recreational uses.

The Ada WWTP discharges into a tributary of the Scioto River, which flows south to join the Ohio River. The Scioto River basin is ecologically significant, supporting fish species such as smallmouth bass and channel catfish, and providing habitat for freshwater mussels. Downstream, the Ohio River is a major source of drinking water and supports extensive aquatic biodiversity. The plant's nutrient removal performance is important for preventing algal blooms in the receiving waters.