Overview
HAMILTON WWTP serves Hamilton, Montana, treating wastewater from approximately 4,363 residents. The plant discharges into the Bitterroot River watershed, a tributary of the Clark Fork River.
HAMILTON WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Hamilton, Ravalli County, Montana. The plant serves a population of about 4,363 residents, making it a small to medium-sized facility in the region. It operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all discharges to surface waters. As a facility serving fewer than 10,000 people, it falls under the category of small publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) in the United States. Typical plants of this scale employ secondary treatment, often using activated sludge or lagoon systems, to meet EPA effluent guidelines. The plant's discharge is regulated by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality under delegated NPDES authority. The treated effluent is discharged to the Bitterroot River, which flows north to join the Clark Fork River near Missoula. The Clark Fork River eventually drains into Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho and then via the Pend Oreille River to the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. The Bitterroot River supports diverse aquatic life, including trout species, and is an important recreational and ecological resource in western Montana.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Bitterroot River, a tributary of the Clark Fork River, which flows into Lake Pend Oreille and eventually the Columbia River system. The Bitterroot River supports a healthy fishery, including native westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout, and provides critical habitat for migratory birds. The watershed is primarily forested and agricultural, with seasonal snowmelt driving flow variations.
Frequently asked questions
HAMILTON WWTP is located on Adirondac Avenue in Hamilton, Ravalli County, Montana, United States.
The plant serves approximately 4,363 residents in the city of Hamilton and surrounding areas.
The treated effluent is discharged into the Bitterroot River, which flows into the Clark Fork River and eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean via the Columbia River system.
As a municipal wastewater treatment plant, HAMILTON WWTP operates under the Clean Water Act, requiring an NPDES permit issued by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. The permit sets effluent limits to protect water quality in the Bitterroot River.
Small to medium-sized plants in Montana typically use secondary treatment processes such as activated sludge, trickling filters, or aerated lagoons to meet EPA standards for biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids.
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