Oakwood WWTP and Sewer System - Secondary Treatment Plant in Oakwood, Ohio

Oakwood WWTP and Sewer System is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Oakwood, Paulding County, Ohio. Serving a population of 675, the plant provides secondary treatment to domestic wastewater from the community. The facility is situated inland, far from coastal waters, and its operations are regulated under the US Clean Water Act through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. The plant employs secondary treatment processes, which include biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 378.54 megaliters per year and an actual discharge volume of 302.83 megaliters, the facility operates below its capacity. This scale of plant is typical for small rural communities in Ohio, where treatment standards are set by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Maumee River basin, ultimately reaching Lake Erie. The plant plays a key role in protecting the Lake Erie watershed from nutrient pollution and other contaminants. Its secondary treatment level helps reduce biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids, supporting downstream aquatic life and water quality.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Maumee River, which flows into Lake Erie, part of the Great Lakes system. Lake Erie is ecologically sensitive to nutrient loading, particularly phosphorus, which can cause harmful algal blooms. The plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate this risk by reducing organic pollutants. The surrounding watershed is primarily agricultural, so the plant's effluent quality is important for maintaining the health of downstream aquatic ecosystems.