Overview
Carbonado S T FAC is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Carbonado, Washington, serving 610 people. It discharges 113.56 megaliters annually and is designed for 378.54 megaliters, operating under U.S. EPA NPDES regulations.
Carbonado S T FAC is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on A P Tubbs Road in Carbonado, a small town in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The facility serves a population of 610 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community within the Pacific Northwest region. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 378.54 megaliters and an annual discharge volume of 113.56 megaliters, it operates well within its capacity. As a U.S. facility, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Puyallup River watershed and then into Puget Sound. This connection to the Salish Sea ecosystem underscores the plant's role in protecting downstream aquatic habitats, including salmon runs and estuarine environments that are ecologically and culturally significant.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters the Puyallup River basin, which flows into Puget Sound, a major estuary of the Salish Sea. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including several species of Pacific salmon and steelhead trout. The secondary treatment process helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids, mitigating impacts on downstream water quality and the sensitive marine ecosystem of Puget Sound.
Frequently asked questions
Carbonado S T FAC is located on A P Tubbs Road in Carbonado, Pierce County, Washington, United States.
The plant serves a population of 610 residents in the Carbonado area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local waterways within the Puyallup River watershed, which ultimately flows into Puget Sound.
As a U.S. facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is regulated by an NPDES permit issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology.
For small communities in the U.S., secondary treatment is standard under the Clean Water Act, which is the level provided by Carbonado S T FAC.
Nearby plants