McMechen WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in McMechen, West Virginia

McMechen WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on Ohio Street in McMechen, Marshall County, West Virginia. The plant serves a population of about 1,973 people, classifying it as a small community facility within the Ohio River basin. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 2,271.24 cubic meters per day and an average discharge volume of 851.72 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variability. Treated effluent from McMechen WWTP is discharged into the Ohio River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system. The Ohio River supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions downstream. The plant's operations are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program to protect water quality.

The plant discharges into the Ohio River, which flows southwest to join the Mississippi River and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. The Ohio River watershed supports a variety of fish species and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollutant loads, protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems.