LYKENS BORO STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Lykens, Pennsylvania

LYKENS BORO STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Serving a population of about 1,779, the plant is part of the region's infrastructure for managing domestic wastewater in a rural setting. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level under the U.S. Clean Water Act for facilities of this scale. With a designed capacity of 1,476.31 m³/day and an average daily flow of 908.50 m³/day, it operates well within its capacity. As a publicly owned treatment works (POTW), it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local stream that eventually drains into the Susquehanna River basin and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. The plant plays a role in reducing nutrient and pollutant loads to the bay, supporting downstream aquatic ecosystems and regional water quality goals.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The bay is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient and sediment reductions from treatment plants like Lykens Boro STP are critical to the Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts.