LFUCG Town Branch STP - Lexington, Kentucky Wastewater Treatment Plant

LFUCG Town Branch STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Lexington, Kentucky, serving a population of approximately 134,424. The plant is situated in Fayette County and is part of the city's wastewater infrastructure managed by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. As a large agglomeration serving over 100,000 people, the plant operates under the U. S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment as a minimum standard. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program governs its discharge, ensuring compliance with water quality standards for the receiving water body. The plant discharges treated effluent into Town Branch, a tributary of the Kentucky River, which flows into the Ohio River and ultimately the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water quality, particularly given the agricultural and urban runoff pressures in central Kentucky.

The plant's effluent enters Town Branch, which flows into the Kentucky River, a major tributary of the Ohio River. The Ohio River drains into the Mississippi River, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The Kentucky River basin supports diverse fish and wildlife, including several sensitive species. The plant's discharge contributes to the overall nutrient load in the watershed, which is a concern for downstream water quality and aquatic ecosystem health.