Elma T SD5 WWTP - Erie County, New York Wastewater Treatment Plant

Elma T SD5 WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Erie County, New York, within the Town of Elma. The plant serves a small population of 350 residents and is situated near Elma Meadows Golf Course on Rice Road. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant has a designed capacity of 302.83 million gallons per year and currently treats an average discharge volume of 162.77 million gallons annually. Under the US Clean Water Act, facilities of this scale are typically regulated through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. Secondary treatment is the standard requirement for municipal plants in the United States. The treated effluent from Elma T SD5 WWTP is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Great Lakes basin. The plant is located more than 10 kilometers from the coast but within 50 kilometers of Lake Erie, a major freshwater resource. Protecting the water quality of Lake Erie and its tributaries is critical for drinking water, recreation, and aquatic habitat in the region.

The plant's discharge enters the Buffalo River watershed, which flows into Lake Erie, part of the Great Lakes system. Lake Erie supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. The region is ecologically sensitive due to historical nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms, making effective wastewater treatment essential for downstream water quality.