Overview
Cobb Island WWTP is a secondary treatment plant serving approximately 1,920 people in Bryantown, Maryland. It discharges 215.77 thousand gallons per day and has a design capacity of 598.09 thousand gallons per day.
Cobb Island WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Bryantown, Charles County, Maryland, United States. The plant serves a small population of around 1,920 residents, providing secondary treatment to manage domestic wastewater in this rural area. The plant operates with a design capacity of 598.09 thousand gallons per day and currently discharges an average of 215.77 thousand gallons per day. As a secondary treatment facility, it meets the standard requirements under the U.S. Clean Water Act for removing biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids. The plant is situated inland, more than 10 kilometers from the coast, but within 50 kilometers of the Chesapeake Bay. Treated effluent from Cobb Island WWTP likely discharges into local streams that drain into the Potomac River or directly into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads that could contribute to eutrophication in the bay.
Environmental context
Cobb Island WWTP discharges into the Potomac River basin, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life including blue crabs, oysters, and striped bass. Nutrient pollution from wastewater can contribute to algal blooms and hypoxia, making secondary treatment important for protecting downstream water quality.
Frequently asked questions
Cobb Island WWTP is located in Bryantown, Charles County, Maryland, United States, near the Cobb Island area along the Potomac River.
Cobb Island WWTP serves approximately 1,920 residents in the Bryantown and Cobb Island communities.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local waterways that drain into the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
Cobb Island WWTP provides secondary treatment, which removes biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids, meeting Clean Water Act standards.
As a U.S. facility, Cobb Island WWTP operates under the Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal plants. It is likely permitted through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) administered by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
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