Eastern Prerelease STP - Queen Anne's County, Maryland Wastewater Treatment Plant

Eastern Prerelease STP is a wastewater treatment facility located at the Eastern Correctional Camp in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, United States. The plant serves a small population of 497 people, reflecting its role as a specialized facility for a correctional institution. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, ensuring a high level of effluent quality. With a designed capacity of 113.56 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 37.85 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variability. As a US plant, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets strict effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and important fisheries. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, contributing to the restoration and health of the Bay ecosystem.

The plant discharges into the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a vast estuary system that drains parts of six states. The Bay is a critical habitat for blue crabs, oysters, and migratory birds, and is subject to nutrient pollution reduction goals under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). Advanced treatment at this facility helps minimize nitrogen and phosphorus inputs, supporting the Bay's recovery.