CLARKS SUMMIT _ S ABINGTON STP - North Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania Wastewater Treatment

CLARKS SUMMIT _ S ABINGTON STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The plant serves a population of approximately 15,182 residents, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under US regulatory frameworks. As a US facility, the plant operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The Clean Water Act requires secondary treatment as a baseline for municipal plants of this scale, with additional nutrient controls in sensitive watersheds like the Chesapeake Bay basin. The plant's treated effluent discharges into the Lehigh River watershed, which flows into the Delaware River and ultimately into Delaware Bay. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a larger estuarine ecosystem important for migratory fish species.

The plant discharges into the Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River, which flows into Delaware Bay. This watershed supports diverse aquatic habitats, including freshwater and estuarine zones, and is a critical migratory corridor for fish such as American shad and Atlantic sturgeon. Nutrient loading from wastewater can impact downstream water quality, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.