JACKSON STP and CS - Jackson, Kentucky Wastewater Treatment Plant

JACKSON STP and CS is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Jackson, Kentucky, United States. It serves a population of approximately 2,439 residents in the Breathitt County area. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal zones, and operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 2,839.05 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 870.65 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating sufficient headroom for current demand. The facility is likely permitted under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local receiving water body, which ultimately drains into the Kentucky River watershed and then into the Ohio River and Mississippi River system. This discharge supports downstream aquatic ecosystems and must meet state and federal water quality standards to minimize environmental impact.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Kentucky River, which flows into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish and macroinvertebrates, and is part of a larger river system that provides habitat for migratory species. Maintaining secondary treatment standards helps protect downstream water quality and ecological health.