LEWIS TWP NORTHUMBERLAND STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Lewis Township, Pennsylvania

LEWIS TWP NORTHUMBERLAND STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Lewis Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The plant serves a small population of 250 residents, providing secondary treatment to meet state and federal water quality standards. As a secondary treatment plant, it utilizes biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater. The facility has a designed capacity of 136.27 units and currently discharges 136.28 units, indicating near-full utilization. Under the US Clean Water Act, such plants operate under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which set effluent limits to protect receiving waters. The plant's treated effluent flows into the Susquehanna River basin, a major watershed that drains into the Chesapeake Bay. This connection makes the plant's performance important for downstream water quality, as the Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary with sensitive aquatic ecosystems. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads to the bay.

The plant discharges into the Susquehanna River watershed, which flows south through Pennsylvania and Maryland before emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, supporting diverse aquatic life including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient pollution from wastewater treatment plants can contribute to algal blooms and hypoxia in the bay, making effective treatment critical for ecosystem health.