Northern Lehigh Wastewater Treatment Plant, North Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania

Northern Lehigh is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It serves a population of approximately 1,250 residents, classifying it as a small community facility within the state's wastewater infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for most municipal facilities. Secondary treatment uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 3,406.86 cubic meters per day and currently discharges an average of 757.08 cubic meters per day, indicating significant reserve capacity for future growth. Treated effluent from the plant is discharged to a tributary of the Lehigh River, which flows into the Delaware River and eventually reaches the Delaware Bay. The Delaware River Basin is a critical water resource for the northeastern United States, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing drinking water for millions. The plant's operations are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

The plant discharges into the Lehigh River watershed, a major tributary of the Delaware River. The Delaware River flows through Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware before emptying into the Delaware Bay, an ecologically important estuary. The watershed supports diverse aquatic species, including migratory fish such as American shad and Atlantic sturgeon. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect water quality in this sensitive river system.