Lewis Co SD 1 Tollesboro WWTP - Secondary Treatment in Tollesboro, Kentucky

Lewis Co SD 1 Tollesboro WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located along AA Highway in Tollesboro, Lewis County, Kentucky. Serving a small population of 525 residents, the plant is part of the region's infrastructure for managing domestic wastewater in a rural setting. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 946.35 cubic meters per day and a discharge volume of 215.77 cubic meters per day, it operates well below capacity. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, such facilities are regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent from the plant flows into local streams that drain into the Ohio River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system. The Ohio River supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions downstream. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect this vital waterway from nutrient pollution and pathogens, contributing to the ecological health of the region.

The plant discharges into small streams within the Ohio River basin, which ultimately flows into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The Ohio River is a critical habitat for fish species such as bass and catfish, and its watershed supports migratory birds and freshwater mussels. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic load and suspended solids, helping to maintain water quality in this ecologically important river system.