HOUTZDALE BORO STP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Woodward Township, Pennsylvania

HOUTZDALE BORO STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,573 residents and operates with advanced treatment processes to ensure high-quality effluent. The plant has a design capacity of 1,135.62 volume units and currently discharges an average of 980.42 volume units. As an advanced treatment facility, it goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants, meeting stringent standards under the US Clean Water Act. Such plants are typically subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway within the Susquehanna River basin, which ultimately drains into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and requiring nutrient reduction efforts to combat eutrophication. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality in this sensitive estuary.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The Chesapeake Bay ecosystem supports a wide variety of fish, shellfish, and migratory birds, and is highly sensitive to nutrient pollution. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loads, contributing to the bay's restoration goals.