Hastings Area STP, Hastings

Overview

Hastings Area STP serves approximately 1,600 residents in Hastings, Pennsylvania. The plant is located inland in Cambria County and discharges into the local watershed.

Hastings Area STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility serving the borough of Hastings in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. With a population served of about 1,600, it is classified as a small community system under U.S. environmental regulations. As a small publicly owned treatment works (POTW) in Pennsylvania, the plant is subject to the U.S. Clean Water Act and operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Such facilities typically provide 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 Susquehanna River basin, which ultimately drains to the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and important fisheries, and is subject to nutrient reduction goals under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).

Environmental context

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 a rich ecosystem including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient pollution from wastewater is a key concern in this watershed, and small plants like Hastings Area STP contribute to regional efforts to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loads.

Frequently asked questions

Hastings Area STP is located on 7th Avenue in Hastings, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States.

The plant serves approximately 1,600 residents in the borough of Hastings and surrounding areas.

The plant discharges treated effluent into a local waterway that is part of the Susquehanna River basin, which ultimately flows to the Chesapeake Bay.

As a small publicly owned treatment works in the United States, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and must comply with an NPDES permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Small municipal plants in Pennsylvania typically provide secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, meeting standard effluent limits.