Hanover T WWTP - Irving, New York Wastewater Treatment Plant

Hanover T WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Irving, Chautauqua County, New York, within the Town of Hanover. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,910 residents and operates under secondary treatment standards, which is the minimum required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal plants. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,892.70 million gallons per year and currently discharges 844.15 million gallons annually. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant is regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The treated effluent is discharged into the Lake Erie watershed, which is part of the Great Lakes system. Lake Erie is the fourth-largest of the Great Lakes and supports diverse aquatic life, including important fisheries. The plant's proximity to the lake (within 10 km) means its discharge directly influences the nearshore water quality and ecosystem health.

The plant discharges into the Lake Erie basin, part of the Great Lakes system that drains into the St. Lawrence River and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean. Lake Erie is the shallowest and most biologically productive of the Great Lakes, supporting a valuable fishery and providing drinking water for millions. The nearshore zone is sensitive to nutrient inputs, which can contribute to algal blooms.