Chestertown WWTP - Heather Heights, Maryland Wastewater Treatment Plant

Chestertown WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Heather Heights, Kent County, Maryland, serving a population of approximately 4,512 residents. The plant is part of the regional wastewater infrastructure managed under the US Clean Water Act framework. With a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day, the plant is classified as a small-to-medium facility. Under the US EPA NPDES program, such plants typically require secondary treatment as a minimum, with additional nutrient removal standards applicable in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to address eutrophication concerns. The plant discharges treated effluent into local streams that drain into the Chester River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and supports diverse aquatic life, including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient and sediment controls are critical to maintaining the bay's ecological health.

The plant's treated effluent flows into the Chester River watershed, which ultimately drains into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a highly productive estuary that supports a complex food web, including submerged aquatic vegetation, blue crabs, and striped bass. The region is subject to strict nutrient management regulations under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loads.