FAIRHAVEN WT Wastewater Treatment Plant, Fair Haven, Vermont

FAIRHAVEN WT is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Fair Haven, Vermont, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,390 residents in this small community within Rutland County. As an advanced treatment facility, it provides a high level of pollutant removal to protect local water quality. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all wastewater discharges. For a plant of this scale in Vermont, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation typically issues permits that include effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and nutrients. The plant's designed capacity of 1,892.70 thousand cubic meters per year indicates it has room for growth, as current discharge volume is 813.86 thousand cubic meters annually. The treated effluent from FAIRHAVEN WT is discharged to a receiving water body that ultimately drains into the Lake Champlain basin, a major freshwater resource shared with New York and Quebec. Lake Champlain is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a drinking water source for many communities. The plant's advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing algal blooms in the lake.

FAIRHAVEN WT discharges into a water body that flows into the Lake Champlain watershed, which drains northward via the Richelieu River into the St. Lawrence River and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. Lake Champlain is a large freshwater lake with significant ecological importance, supporting fisheries, migratory birds, and recreational activities. The plant's advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient inputs that could contribute to eutrophication in the lake.