MATOAKA WWTP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Matoaka, West Virginia

MATOAKA WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located at 127 Culvert Road in Matoaka, Mercer County, West Virginia. The plant serves a small population of 506 residents and operates with a designed capacity of 283.91 million gallons per year, currently discharging 211.98 million gallons annually. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, such facilities are required to meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits set by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a receiving water body that flows through the Upper Ohio River Basin, ultimately draining into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in safeguarding local streams and the broader watershed from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Upper Ohio River Basin, which flows into the Ohio River and eventually the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities. Advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing algal blooms and maintaining ecological balance in the region.