HYDEN Wooten Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hyden, Kentucky

HYDEN Wooten is a wastewater treatment plant located on Dryhill Road in Hyden, Leslie County, Kentucky. Designed to serve a population of 479, the plant is currently in the projected phase and will provide secondary treatment for the community's municipal wastewater. The plant has a designed capacity of 189.27 cubic meters per day, matching its discharge volume. As a secondary treatment facility, it will meet the standard requirements under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which mandates secondary treatment for municipal plants to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge. The treated effluent will be released into local streams that drain into the Kentucky River watershed, ultimately reaching the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River. The plant's operation will help protect the water quality of these downstream water bodies, supporting aquatic life and recreational uses in the region.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Kentucky River, which flows through eastern Kentucky before joining the Ohio River. The Kentucky River basin supports diverse aquatic species and provides drinking water for numerous communities. Downstream, the Ohio River is a major migratory corridor for fish and supports extensive riparian ecosystems. Protecting water quality in this watershed is critical for both ecological health and human use.