Overview
Lake City STP serves Rocky Top, Tennessee, treating wastewater from a small community of about 1,888 people. The plant operates under U.S. EPA and state regulations for inland discharge.
Lake City STP is a wastewater treatment facility located in Rocky Top, Anderson County, Tennessee, in the East Tennessee region. The plant serves a small population of approximately 1,888 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or small-town setting. As a publicly owned treatment works, it is part of the municipal infrastructure managed by local authorities. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, plants of this scale are typically required to provide secondary treatment as a minimum standard. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, governs discharge limits and monitoring. The facility is expected to meet effluent guidelines for biological oxygen demand and total suspended solids. The plant discharges treated effluent into a local waterway within the Tennessee River basin. The Tennessee River system flows through the southeastern United States, eventually draining into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The surrounding watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water quality and recreation.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters a tributary of the Tennessee River, which flows through the Appalachian region before joining the Ohio River. The Tennessee River basin is ecologically significant, supporting species such as mussels, fish, and migratory birds. Downstream waters eventually reach the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient loading can contribute to hypoxic zones. Proper treatment at this facility helps protect local streams and the broader river ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
Lake City STP is located near Interstate 75 in Rocky Top, Anderson County, Tennessee, in the East Tennessee region of the United States.
The plant serves a small community of approximately 1,888 people, typical of a rural or small-town wastewater treatment facility.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local waterway within the Tennessee River basin, which ultimately flows to the Gulf of Mexico via the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
As a U.S. facility, Lake City STP operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to NPDES permit requirements enforced by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
For small communities in Tennessee, secondary treatment is standard, involving biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.
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