Gettysburg Regional STP | Wastewater Treatment Plant in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg Regional STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on South 6th Street in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania. Serving a population of about 10,972, the plant is part of the region's infrastructure for managing domestic and commercial wastewater from the historic town and surrounding areas. As a medium-sized facility, the plant is subject to the US Clean Water Act and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting. Plants of this scale typically employ secondary treatment to meet federal and state effluent standards. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection oversees compliance with discharge limits. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Susquehanna River basin, ultimately reaching the Chesapeake Bay. This makes the plant's performance important for downstream water quality, particularly for nutrient and sediment reduction goals in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The facility contributes to regional efforts to protect aquatic habitats and recreational uses.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Susquehanna River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The Chesapeake Bay watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient pollution from wastewater is a key concern, and the plant's operations are part of broader regional initiatives to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loads to the bay.