Clifton on the Potomac WWTP - Advanced Treatment Plant in Rock Point, Maryland

Clifton on the Potomac WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Rock Point, Charles County, Maryland, United States. The plant serves a small population of 800 residents and is situated near the Potomac River, close to the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The facility employs advanced treatment processes, exceeding the secondary treatment standard required by the US Clean Water Act. With a designed capacity of 264.98 thousand cubic meters per year and a discharge volume of 162.77 thousand cubic meters per year, the plant operates well within its capacity. As a small-scale plant, it is subject to EPA NPDES permitting and state-level oversight by the Maryland Department of the Environment. The plant's discharge enters the Potomac River estuary, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The advanced treatment helps protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystem of the bay, which supports diverse marine life and is an important migratory corridor for fish and birds.

The plant discharges into the Potomac River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, a major estuary on the US East Coast. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life including blue crabs, oysters, and striped bass. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for mitigating eutrophication and maintaining water quality in the bay.