Ephrata Boro STP - Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Ephrata, Pennsylvania

Ephrata Boro STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Serving a population of around 33,863, the plant is part of the region's infrastructure for managing domestic and industrial wastewater from the community. Under the US Clean Water Act, plants of this size are typically required to meet secondary treatment standards through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection oversees permitting and compliance, ensuring that effluent limits protect water quality in the receiving waters. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway, likely a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and fisheries, and is subject to nutrient reduction goals under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which ultimately drains into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, supporting critical habitats for fish, crabs, and migratory birds. Nutrient pollution from wastewater is a key concern, and plants in this basin are subject to stringent nutrient reduction requirements to protect the bay's ecosystem.