ELKTON STP - Elkton, Virginia Wastewater Treatment Plant

ELKTON STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Elkton, Rockingham County, Virginia. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,935 residents, placing it in the small agglomeration category under U.S. regulatory frameworks. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 1,514.16 units and an average daily discharge of 870.65 units, the plant operates below its capacity. As a U.S. facility, it operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent from ELKTON STP is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Shenandoah River watershed. The Shenandoah River flows northward to join the Potomac River, which empties into the Chesapeake Bay. This connection makes the plant's discharge relevant to the broader Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, a large estuary that supports diverse aquatic life and is subject to nutrient reduction goals under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).

ELKTON STP discharges into a tributary of the Shenandoah River, which flows into the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary that supports diverse aquatic species, including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient and sediment loads from upstream sources, including wastewater treatment plants, are managed under the Chesapeake Bay TMDL to reduce eutrophication and improve water quality.