Lawrence Co Union Rome SD WWTP | Union Township, Lawrence County, Ohio Wastewater Treatment Plant

Lawrence Co Union Rome SD WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Union Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, serving a population of about 10,200. The plant operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for all discharges to surface waters. As a medium-sized agglomeration, the facility is expected to meet secondary treatment standards as a minimum, with additional nutrient controls if discharging to sensitive waters. However, under US EPA guidelines, facilities of this scale typically employ secondary treatment processes such as activated sludge or trickling filters to reduce biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local streams that are part of the Ohio River basin. The Ohio River ultimately flows into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a role in protecting water quality in the region, particularly in the context of the Ohio River's ecological significance and its use for drinking water, recreation, and aquatic habitat.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Ohio River, which drains a large portion of the eastern United States before joining the Mississippi River and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. The Ohio River supports diverse aquatic life, including several species of freshwater mussels and fish, and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The plant's operations contribute to maintaining water quality in this ecologically significant watershed.