FRANKLIN STP - Simpson County, Kentucky Wastewater Treatment Plant

FRANKLIN STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Simpson County, Kentucky, serving a population of about 13,805. The plant is situated in the southern part of the state, within the Green River watershed, which ultimately drains to the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River. As a medium-sized facility, FRANKLIN STP is subject to the U.S. Clean Water Act and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, administered by the Kentucky Division of Water. Plants of this scale typically employ secondary treatment to meet effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into a receiving water body within the Green River basin, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for downstream communities. The Green River flows into the Ohio River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River, contributing to the overall water quality of the Gulf of Mexico.

FRANKLIN STP discharges into a tributary of the Green River, which flows northward to join the Ohio River near Evansville, Indiana. The Green River basin supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including several species of freshwater mussels. The Ohio River then carries the combined flow to the Mississippi River and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico, making nutrient management important for preventing hypoxia in the Gulf.