Overview
CLAY CITY wastewater treatment plant serves Clay City, Kentucky, USA. It is an inland facility serving a small population of 1,574.
The CLAY CITY wastewater treatment plant is located in Clay City, Powell County, Kentucky, United States. It serves a small population of approximately 1,574 residents, typical of a rural community in the Appalachian region. The plant is part of the municipal infrastructure managed by local authorities. As a small-scale facility in the United States, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, issued by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, govern discharge limits and monitoring. Plants of this size commonly employ conventional activated sludge or lagoon systems. The plant discharges treated effluent into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Kentucky River basin, a tributary of the Ohio River. The Ohio River flows into the Mississippi River, reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The surrounding watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water quality.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters streams within the Kentucky River watershed, which flows into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. This inland location means the effluent impacts freshwater ecosystems, including fish and macroinvertebrate communities. The region's karst topography can influence groundwater interactions, making proper treatment essential to protect local water resources.
Frequently asked questions
The CLAY CITY wastewater treatment plant is located in Clay City, Powell County, Kentucky, United States, at coordinates 37.86, -83.923.
The plant serves a population of 1,574 people, classifying it as a small-scale municipal facility.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local streams within the Kentucky River basin, which ultimately flows to the Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico.
As a US facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to NPDES permits issued by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, which set discharge limits and monitoring requirements.
Small plants in Kentucky often use lagoon systems, activated sludge, or trickling filters to achieve secondary treatment, as required by federal regulations.
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