MSD Cedar Creek STP - Louisville, Kentucky Wastewater Treatment Plant

MSD Cedar Creek STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Louisville, Kentucky, serving an estimated population of 20,000. The facility is part of the Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District's infrastructure, managing wastewater from the Cedar Creek area in Jefferson County. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, plants of this scale are typically required to provide secondary treatment through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program. The Kentucky Division of Water oversees compliance with state and federal regulations, ensuring treated effluent meets water quality standards before discharge. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Ohio River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions downstream. Proper treatment helps protect water quality in the Ohio River basin.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Ohio River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The Ohio River watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish species such as bass and catfish, and provides habitat for migratory birds. Effective wastewater treatment is critical to prevent nutrient pollution and maintain dissolved oxygen levels in this important river system.