Overview
LUBEC WWTP is a primary treatment facility serving 695 people in Lubec, Maine. Located within 10 km of the coast, it discharges treated wastewater into the local marine environment.
LUBEC WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Lubec, Maine, a coastal town in Washington County. The facility serves a small population of 695 residents, reflecting the rural character of the region. As a primary treatment plant, it provides basic physical treatment to remove settleable solids and floating debris before discharge. Primary treatment is the minimum level of mechanical treatment, involving sedimentation to reduce suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 378.54 cubic meters per day and currently discharges an average volume of 264.98 cubic meters per day. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, facilities of this scale are typically regulated through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its discharge directly influences the marine ecosystem of the Gulf of Maine. The receiving waters ultimately drain into the Atlantic Ocean, supporting diverse marine life including fish, shellfish, and seabirds. The local watershed is ecologically sensitive, and primary treatment alone may not fully remove nutrients or pathogens, posing potential risks to coastal water quality.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine, a biologically productive marine ecosystem that supports commercial fisheries and migratory species. The immediate receiving waters are part of the larger Atlantic Ocean basin. Given the plant's coastal location and primary treatment level, nutrient and pathogen loading could affect local shellfish beds and recreational water quality.
Frequently asked questions
LUBEC WWTP is located at 99 Pleasant Street in Lubec, Washington County, Maine, United States.
The plant serves a population of 695 people in the Lubec area.
The plant provides primary treatment and discharges treated effluent into the coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
As a U.S. facility, LUBEC WWTP operates under the Clean Water Act and is likely permitted through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which sets effluent limits for discharges to surface waters.
Small plants in the U.S. often use primary or secondary treatment, depending on the sensitivity of the receiving water. Primary treatment, as used here, is common for small coastal communities, though secondary treatment is more typical for larger populations.
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