Jellico Wastewater System, Jellico

Overview

Jellico Wastewater System serves approximately 3,771 residents in Jellico, Tennessee. The plant operates under U.S. EPA and state regulations for small communities.

Jellico Wastewater System is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Jellico, Tennessee, a small community in Campbell County near the Kentucky border. The plant serves a population of about 3,771 people, typical of a small agglomeration in rural Appalachia. As a U.S. facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. The plant discharges treated wastewater into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Cumberland River basin. The Cumberland River flows westward through Tennessee and Kentucky before joining the Ohio River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The surrounding region features karst topography and sensitive aquatic habitats that benefit from proper wastewater management.

Environmental context

The plant's discharge enters streams within the Cumberland River watershed, which drains into the Ohio River and eventually the Mississippi River. The Cumberland River basin supports diverse aquatic life, including several species of freshwater mussels and fish. The region's karst geology means groundwater and surface water are closely connected, making effective treatment important for protecting local water quality and downstream ecosystems.

Frequently asked questions

Jellico Wastewater System is located on London Avenue in Jellico, Campbell County, Tennessee, United States, near the border with Kentucky.

The plant serves approximately 3,771 residents, making it a small municipal wastewater system typical of rural communities in Appalachia.

The plant discharges treated effluent into local streams within the Cumberland River watershed, which flows into the Ohio River and ultimately the Mississippi River.

As a U.S. facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is regulated by an NPDES permit issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, which sets limits on effluent quality.

For small communities in Tennessee, secondary treatment is standard, involving biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.