BERK CO PSSD WOODS II WWTP - Hedgesville, West Virginia Wastewater Treatment

BERK CO PSSD WOODS II WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Hedgesville, Berkeley County, West Virginia. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,601 residents, providing secondary treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from domestic wastewater. As a secondary treatment plant, it operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires such facilities to meet effluent limits set by National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The plant has a designed capacity of 283.91 volume units, matching its current discharge volume, indicating full utilization of its treatment capacity. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local streams that flow into the Potomac River, which ultimately drains into the Chesapeake Bay. This places the plant within a sensitive estuarine ecosystem where nutrient and pollutant management is critical to maintaining water quality and aquatic habitat.

The plant's discharge enters the Potomac River basin, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and supports diverse aquatic life, including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient loading from wastewater treatment plants can contribute to algal blooms and hypoxia, making effective treatment essential for downstream ecosystem health.