New Cumberland Boro STP - Wastewater Treatment Plant in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania

New Cumberland Boro STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, United States. Serving a population of about 7,349, the plant is part of the region's wastewater infrastructure, managing sewage from the borough and surrounding areas. The facility operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all discharges into surface waters. As a plant serving a small population, New Cumberland Boro STP is expected to provide at least secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard for municipal wastewater treatment in the United States. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. It operates within the context of Pennsylvania's environmental regulations, which are enforced by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The treated effluent from New Cumberland Boro STP is discharged into a local waterway that flows into the Susquehanna River, a major river in the northeastern United States. The Susquehanna River drains into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the country. The plant's discharge contributes to the nutrient and pollutant load in the bay, which is a focus of regional restoration efforts to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows south through Pennsylvania and Maryland before emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a highly productive estuary that supports diverse aquatic life, including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient pollution from wastewater treatment plants is a key concern for the bay's health, as excess nitrogen and phosphorus can cause harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. The plant's location inland, over 50 km from the coast, means its discharge has a cumulative impact on the bay's water quality.