Cayuga V WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Cayuga County, New York

Cayuga V WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in the Town of Aurelius, Cayuga County, New York. The plant serves a small population of 964 residents and operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal discharges. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 378.54 megaliters per year and a discharge volume of 272.55 megaliters per year, the facility operates well within its capacity, ensuring effective treatment of local wastewater. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Seneca River and ultimately into Lake Ontario, a major Great Lake. This downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is an important resource for drinking water, recreation, and fisheries in the region.

The plant discharges into the Seneca River basin, which flows into Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes. Lake Ontario supports a diverse ecosystem, including native fish species and migratory birds. The watershed is ecologically sensitive, and the plant's secondary treatment helps protect water quality in this important freshwater resource.