KARTHAUS _ BURNSIDE TWP STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Karthaus Township, Pennsylvania

KARTHAUS _ BURNSIDE TWP STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Karthaus Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. The plant serves a small population of around 800 residents, providing secondary treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from domestic wastewater. As a secondary treatment plant, it meets the minimum federal standards under the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater treatment. The plant has a designed capacity of 435.32 cubic meters per day and currently treats an average daily flow of 378.54 cubic meters, operating well within its capacity. Facilities of this scale in Pennsylvania are typically regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into a local stream that flows into the West Branch Susquehanna River, a major tributary of the Susquehanna River, which ultimately drains into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and important fisheries. The plant's discharge contributes to the overall nutrient load in the bay, making proper treatment essential for downstream water quality.

The plant discharges into a local tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River, part of the Susquehanna River basin that drains into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and supports a complex ecosystem including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient pollution from wastewater treatment plants is a key concern for the bay's health, and secondary treatment helps reduce organic and nutrient loads.