Overview
Hot Springs WWTP is a secondary treatment plant serving 640 people in Hot Springs, North Carolina. It discharges 227.13 megaliters of treated wastewater annually, with a designed capacity of 302.83 megaliters.
Hot Springs WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Hot Springs, Madison County, North Carolina, United States. The plant serves a small population of 640 residents, providing secondary treatment to meet state and federal water quality standards. As a secondary treatment plant, Hot Springs WWTP utilizes biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater. The plant has a designed capacity of 302.83 megaliters and currently discharges 227.13 megaliters annually, indicating operational capacity below its design limit. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, such facilities operate under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, which set effluent limits to protect receiving waters. The treated effluent from Hot Springs WWTP is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the French Broad River, a major tributary of the Tennessee River system. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities. The plant's location in the Appalachian region means its discharge contributes to the ecological health of mountain streams and rivers.
Environmental context
The treated effluent from Hot Springs WWTP enters a local stream that flows into the French Broad River, which then joins the Tennessee River and eventually reaches the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic species, including trout and other cold-water fish, and is an important corridor for migratory birds. The plant's discharge must meet stringent nutrient and oxygen-demanding pollutant limits to protect downstream water quality and aquatic habitats.
Frequently asked questions
Hot Springs WWTP is located on Divine Water Lane in Hot Springs, Madison County, North Carolina, United States.
The plant serves a population of 640 residents in the Hot Springs area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local stream that flows into the French Broad River, part of the Tennessee River watershed.
As a U.S. facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is regulated by an NPDES permit issued by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
Small plants like Hot Springs WWTP typically provide secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, meeting EPA secondary treatment standards.
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