Hillview WWTP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Hillview, Kentucky

Hillview WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Hillview, Bullitt County, Kentucky, serving a small population of 250 residents. The facility operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all point source discharges. As an advanced treatment plant, it goes beyond secondary treatment standards to provide higher levels of pollutant removal, which is typical for facilities protecting sensitive water bodies. The plant's designed capacity of 567.81 units indicates it has significant reserve capacity for future growth. The current discharge volume of 102.21 units suggests the plant operates well below its design capacity. Advanced treatment typically includes nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) and disinfection. The plant's small population served places it in the category of decentralized or small community systems, which are regulated under state-level NPDES programs with simplified permitting. The treated effluent from Hillview WWTP likely discharges into a local stream or creek within the Salt River watershed, which flows into the Ohio River and ultimately the Mississippi River system. The plant's inland location, over 50 km from the coast, means its discharge affects freshwater ecosystems rather than marine environments. The advanced treatment level helps protect downstream aquatic life and water quality in the Ohio River basin.

Hillview WWTP discharges into the Salt River watershed, a tributary of the Ohio River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The Ohio River supports diverse aquatic species and is a critical migratory corridor for fish. Advanced treatment at this plant reduces nutrient loading, helping to mitigate eutrophication in downstream water bodies, including the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico.