Overview
COPPERHILL STP serves Copperhill, Tennessee, treating wastewater for approximately 780 residents. The plant discharges into the local watershed, contributing to the broader Tennessee River basin.
COPPERHILL STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Copperhill, Tennessee, a small town in Polk County near the Georgia border. The facility serves a population of about 780 people, reflecting its role in a small community within the Appalachian region. As a small-scale plant in the United States, COPPERHILL STP operates under the Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, governs its discharge standards to protect water quality. The plant's treated effluent is released into a local waterway that flows into the Toccoa River, part of the Tennessee River watershed. This river system eventually drains into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, making the plant's operations important for downstream aquatic ecosystems.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Toccoa River, a tributary of the Ocoee River, which flows into the Tennessee River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides habitat for species such as the threatened spotfin chub. The Tennessee River ultimately reaches the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, linking local water quality to a vast downstream ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
COPPERHILL STP is located in Copperhill, Tennessee, a small town in Polk County near the Georgia border. The plant serves the local community's wastewater treatment needs.
COPPERHILL STP serves approximately 780 residents, making it a small-scale municipal treatment facility typical of rural communities in the southeastern United States.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local waterway that flows into the Toccoa River, part of the Tennessee River basin. The discharge is regulated under the Clean Water Act to protect water quality.
COPPERHILL STP operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
Small plants like COPPERHILL STP typically employ secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting EPA standards for municipal wastewater.
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