Hicksville WWTP and Sewer System - Ohio Wastewater Treatment Plant Serving 3,649 Residents

The Hicksville WWTP and Sewer System is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Hicksville, Ohio, serving a population of about 3,649 residents. The plant is situated in Defiance County, within the Maumee River watershed, which flows into Lake Erie. As a small community facility, it plays a vital role in protecting local water quality and public health. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, wastewater treatment plants serving communities of this size are typically required to provide secondary treatment as a minimum standard. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, governs the plant's discharge limits and monitoring requirements. The facility's treatment process likely includes primary and secondary treatment stages to meet state and federal effluent guidelines. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into a receiving water body that is part of the Maumee River basin. The Maumee River is the largest tributary to the Great Lakes, draining into Lake Erie at Toledo. This watershed is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing habitat for fish and migratory birds. The plant's operations are critical to preventing nutrient pollution and maintaining the health of Lake Erie, which faces challenges from harmful algal blooms.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Maumee River, which flows into Lake Erie, the shallowest and most biologically productive of the Great Lakes. The Maumee River basin is a major agricultural region, and nutrient runoff from both urban and rural sources contributes to eutrophication and harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. The plant's treatment processes help reduce the load of phosphorus and nitrogen entering the watershed, supporting efforts to protect drinking water sources and aquatic ecosystems.