Blaine Wastewater System - Graveston, Tennessee Municipal Treatment Plant

Blaine Wastewater System is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Graveston, Tennessee, within Knox County. Serving a population of approximately 3,170, the plant is part of the region's infrastructure for managing domestic wastewater in East Tennessee. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 378.54 thousand cubic meters per year, with a similar discharge volume, indicating it operates near its capacity. The treated effluent from Blaine Wastewater System is discharged into local streams that flow into the Tennessee River system. The Tennessee River basin supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for communities downstream. Proper treatment helps protect water quality in this ecologically important watershed.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Tennessee River, which flows through Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky before joining the Ohio River. The Tennessee River basin supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including several species of freshwater mussels. Maintaining secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protect downstream water quality in this region.