Overview
Conaway WWTP and Interceptor Sys serves Big Rock, Virginia, treating wastewater for approximately 4,096 residents. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, with state-issued NPDES permits governing its discharge.
Conaway WWTP and Interceptor Sys is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Big Rock, Buchanan County, Virginia. The plant serves a small community of around 4,096 people, reflecting the rural character of the Appalachian region. Its location along Riverside Drive places it near the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River, a key waterway in the area. As a U.S. facility, Conaway WWTP operates under the Clean Water Act, administered by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Plants of this scale typically employ secondary treatment processes to meet effluent limits. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program ensures compliance with water quality standards, protecting downstream waters. The plant's treated effluent likely discharges into the Levisa Fork, which flows into the Big Sandy River, then the Ohio River, and ultimately the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. This connection highlights the plant's role in maintaining water quality across a vast watershed, supporting aquatic life and downstream communities.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River, a tributary of the Ohio River within the Mississippi River basin. This watershed supports diverse aquatic species, including several darter and minnow species, and provides habitat for migratory fish. The Appalachian terrain influences local hydrology, with steep slopes and narrow valleys affecting runoff and streamflow. Protecting water quality here is vital for the ecological health of the broader Ohio River system.
Frequently asked questions
Conaway WWTP and Interceptor Sys is located at 33898 Riverside Drive, Big Rock, Buchanan County, Virginia, in the United States.
Conaway WWTP serves a population of approximately 4,096 residents in the Big Rock area of Buchanan County, Virginia.
Conaway WWTP discharges treated effluent into the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River, which flows into the Ohio River and eventually the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
Conaway WWTP operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
For small communities in Virginia, secondary treatment is typical, involving biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, meeting EPA secondary treatment standards.
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