Highland Co Rocky Fork Lake WWTP - Advanced Treatment Facility in Hillsboro, Ohio

Highland Co Rocky Fork Lake WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located at 9396 SR 124 in Hillsboro, Ohio, within Highland County. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,500 residents and provides advanced treatment to protect local water quality. The facility has a designed capacity of 1,135.62 thousand cubic meters per year and currently discharges 567.81 thousand cubic meters annually. As a US-based plant, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which set effluent limits to safeguard receiving waters. The plant's treated effluent flows into Rocky Fork Lake, a regional water body that supports recreational activities and aquatic habitat. The lake is part of the Ohio River basin, ultimately draining into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Advanced treatment ensures reduced nutrient loading, helping to prevent eutrophication in downstream waters.

The plant discharges to Rocky Fork Lake, a man-made reservoir in southern Ohio that feeds into Rocky Fork Creek, a tributary of the Paint Creek and Scioto River system. This watershed drains to the Ohio River and eventually the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico. The lake supports diverse aquatic life and is used for fishing and boating. Advanced treatment helps maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive area by reducing nutrient and pollutant loads.