Fleming Neon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Jenkins, Kentucky

Fleming Neon is a wastewater treatment plant located in Jenkins, Kentucky, United States. It serves a population of 3,024 and operates as a secondary treatment facility. The plant is situated in the Appalachian region of eastern Kentucky, within Letcher County. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 1,968.41 million gallons and an actual discharge volume of 643.52 million gallons, the plant operates well below its capacity. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Kentucky state authorities regulate such facilities through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that are part of the Upper Kentucky River basin. The receiving waters eventually flow into the Kentucky River and then the Ohio River, which is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Appalachian region's mountainous terrain and coal mining history make water quality protection particularly important for downstream communities and aquatic ecosystems.

The plant discharges into streams within the Upper Kentucky River watershed, which drains into the Kentucky River and ultimately the Ohio River. This region is part of the Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests ecoregion, known for high biodiversity. The downstream waters support diverse aquatic life, including several species of freshwater mussels and fish. The mountainous terrain and historical mining activities in the area make the watershed sensitive to pollution, emphasizing the importance of effective wastewater treatment.