Cheltenham WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Cheltenham, Maryland

Cheltenham WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on Surratts Road in Cheltenham, Prince George's County, Maryland. It serves a small population of 220 residents, reflecting its role as a local facility for a rural or suburban community. The plant operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment as the minimum standard for municipal wastewater facilities. The plant provides secondary treatment, a biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 302.83 thousand gallons per day and a current discharge volume of 49.21 thousand gallons per day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variability. As a US facility, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Patuxent River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and an ecologically sensitive ecosystem that supports diverse aquatic life, including oysters, blue crabs, and migratory fish. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads to this vital water body.

The plant discharges into the Patuxent River basin, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary that supports diverse aquatic life, including spawning grounds for striped bass and habitat for blue crabs. Nutrient pollution from wastewater can contribute to algal blooms and hypoxia, making secondary treatment important for maintaining bay health.