Howland Treatment Plant | Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Howland, Maine

The Howland Treatment Plant is a municipal wastewater facility located in Howland, Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It serves a population of approximately 1,852 residents, classifying it as a small community system under U.S. EPA regulations. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard for municipal wastewater under the U.S. Clean Water Act. It has a designed capacity of 946.35 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of 567.81 cubic meters per day, indicating operational capacity below design levels. Treated effluent from the plant is discharged into the Penobscot River watershed, which flows into Penobscot Bay and the Gulf of Maine. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor for migratory fish species such as Atlantic salmon.

The Howland Treatment Plant discharges into the Penobscot River basin, which drains into Penobscot Bay and ultimately the Gulf of Maine. The river supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including diadromous species like Atlantic salmon and American eel. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, protecting downstream water quality in this ecologically sensitive coastal watershed.