Overview
Camelot Sewage Treatment in Piney Mountain, Virginia, serves 398 people with secondary treatment. The plant discharges 75.71 units of treated wastewater daily, operating under U.S. EPA NPDES regulations.
Camelot Sewage Treatment is a municipal wastewater facility located in Piney Mountain, Albemarle County, Virginia, United States. It serves a small population of 398 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or suburban community. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal zones, and its operations are governed by the U.S. Clean Water Act through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The facility provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 151.42 units and a current discharge volume of 75.71 units, the plant operates at about half its capacity, indicating room for growth or seasonal variations. As a small-scale plant, it meets the regulatory requirements for secondary treatment under the Clean Water Act, which mandates such treatment for municipal discharges to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, likely a stream or river within the Rivanna River watershed, which flows into the James River and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary of ecological significance, supporting diverse aquatic life and fisheries. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, contributing to the bay's restoration efforts under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a tributary of the Rivanna River, part of the James River basin that drains into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a major estuary facing nutrient pollution challenges, and secondary treatment helps mitigate local impacts. The surrounding area features mixed forest and agricultural land, with the plant's effluent contributing to base flow in small streams that support aquatic ecosystems.
Frequently asked questions
Camelot Sewage Treatment is located in Piney Mountain, Albemarle County, Virginia, United States. The facility serves the local community in a rural setting.
The plant serves a population of 398 people, classifying it as a small municipal wastewater treatment facility.
The plant provides secondary treatment before discharging effluent into a local water body, likely a tributary of the Rivanna River, which flows to the James River and Chesapeake Bay.
As a U.S. facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act, requiring an NPDES permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality or the EPA. Secondary treatment is the minimum standard for municipal plants.
Small plants in Virginia typically use secondary treatment, such as activated sludge or lagoon systems, to meet state and federal water quality standards. They must comply with NPDES permit limits for BOD, TSS, and nutrients.
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