FAIRMOUNT STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Landonville, Maryland

FAIRMOUNT STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Landonville, Somerset County, Maryland, United States. The plant serves a small population of 570 residents and operates with a secondary treatment process. Its designed capacity is 151.42 million gallons per day, with a current discharge volume of 98.42 million gallons per day. As a secondary treatment facility, FAIRMOUNT STP meets the minimum requirements under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater treatment. The plant is regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Maryland Department of the Environment. For a plant of this small scale, secondary treatment is standard to protect water quality. The plant discharges treated effluent into a nearby water body that ultimately drains into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The Chesapeake Bay watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including blue crabs, oysters, and striped bass. The plant's coastal location means its discharge can directly impact sensitive estuarine ecosystems.

FAIRMOUNT STP discharges into a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, a major estuary on the Atlantic coast. The Chesapeake Bay is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic species and serving as a critical migratory corridor for birds. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its effluent can quickly reach the bay, where nutrient loading from secondary-treated wastewater may contribute to algal blooms and hypoxia.