Nichols T WWTP and SD - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Lounsberry, New York

Nichols T WWTP and SD is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Lounsberry, a hamlet in Tioga County, New York. The plant serves a small population of 500 residents, providing secondary treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from domestic wastewater. As a secondary treatment plant, Nichols T WWTP and SD operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires such facilities to meet effluent limits set by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The plant's designed capacity of 189.27 megaliters per year indicates it can handle peak flows, while the actual discharge volume of 151.42 megaliters suggests operational efficiency. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Susquehanna River basin, which flows into Chesapeake Bay. This makes the plant's performance important for downstream water quality, as nutrient and pollutant loads from small plants can cumulatively affect the bay's ecosystem.

The plant's discharge enters a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows south through Pennsylvania and into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary that supports diverse aquatic life, including blue crabs and striped bass, and is sensitive to nutrient pollution. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic and nutrient loads, contributing to the bay's restoration efforts under the Chesapeake Bay Program.