MARSHALL CO SD WILLIAMSBURG WWTP - Secondary Treatment in Zitko Terrace, West Virginia

MARSHALL CO SD WILLIAMSBURG WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Zitko Terrace, Marshall County, West Virginia. The plant serves a small population of 150 residents and operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for all publicly owned treatment works. As a small facility, it plays a vital role in protecting local water quality in the Ohio River watershed. The plant provides secondary treatment, a biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 75.71 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 56.78 million gallons per year, the plant operates below its capacity. The facility is permitted under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), administered by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, ensuring compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged into a tributary of the Ohio River, which flows into the Mississippi River and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operation helps protect downstream aquatic ecosystems, including fish habitats and recreational waters. Its location in the Appalachian region means it must manage challenges from seasonal rainfall and mountainous terrain.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Ohio River, part of the Mississippi River basin that drains into the Gulf of Mexico. The Ohio River supports diverse aquatic life, including mussels and fish species, and provides drinking water for millions. The plant's secondary treatment reduces nutrient and organic loads, helping to prevent eutrophication and maintain water quality in this ecologically significant watershed.