Gratz Boro STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Gratz, Pennsylvania

Gratz Boro STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Serving a population of 676, the plant provides secondary treatment to wastewater from the local community. The facility is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its operations are regulated under the US Clean Water Act through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The plant has a designed capacity of 227.12 million gallons per year and discharges approximately 227.13 million gallons of treated effluent annually. As a secondary treatment facility, it meets the standard requirements for organic matter and suspended solids removal as mandated by federal regulations. The plant's capacity utilization is near 100%, indicating consistent operation at designed levels. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Susquehanna River basin. The Susquehanna River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, a major estuary of ecological and economic importance. The plant's discharge contributes to the overall water quality management in the region, supporting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and supports diverse aquatic life, including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient and sediment loads from wastewater plants in the basin are managed under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program to reduce eutrophication and improve water quality.