Overview
John Umstead WWTP serves Butner, North Carolina, treating wastewater for approximately 6,800 residents. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, with discharge regulated by the state's NPDES program.
John Umstead WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Butner, North Carolina, within Granville County. The plant serves a population of about 6,800 people, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category typical of rural communities in the Piedmont region. As a U.S. facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which sets effluent limits based on the receiving water body's designated uses. For plants serving fewer than 10,000 people, secondary treatment is generally required, though specific permit conditions depend on local water quality standards. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Neuse River basin, which flows to the Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The Neuse River is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a critical habitat for migratory fish species.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters a tributary of the Neuse River, which flows through the coastal plain of North Carolina before reaching the Pamlico Sound. The Neuse River basin supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including striped bass and American shad, and is an important estuarine ecosystem. The Pamlico Sound is the largest lagoon on the U.S. East Coast, providing nursery habitat for many marine species.
Frequently asked questions
John Umstead WWTP is located at 905 9th Street in Butner, North Carolina, within Granville County in the United States.
The plant serves approximately 6,829 people, typical of a small-to-medium community in rural North Carolina.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local waterway that flows into the Neuse River basin, eventually reaching the Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
As a U.S. facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is regulated by an NPDES permit issued by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality.
For small-to-medium communities, secondary treatment is standard under the Clean Water Act, which typically includes biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.
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