Austin Boro STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Austin, Pennsylvania

Austin Boro STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on Garman Lane in Austin, Potter County, Pennsylvania. The facility serves a population of approximately 738 residents and operates as part of the local wastewater infrastructure in this rural community. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the US Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 283.91 megaliters and an annual discharge volume of 227.13 megaliters, the plant operates below its full capacity. As a US facility, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The treated effluent from Austin Boro STP is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Susquehanna River basin, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The plant plays a role in protecting water quality in this ecologically significant watershed, which supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows through Pennsylvania and Maryland before emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and supports a complex ecosystem of fish, shellfish, and waterfowl. Nutrient and pollutant loads from upstream sources, including wastewater plants, are managed under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program to protect water quality and aquatic habitats.