Ocean City Regional WWTF - New Jersey Coastal Wastewater Treatment

Ocean City Regional WWTF is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on 45th Street in Ocean City, Cape May County, New Jersey. It serves a population of approximately 47,345 residents in this coastal community. The plant is situated within 50 kilometers of the Atlantic Ocean, placing it in a sensitive coastal environment. As a facility in the United States, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting. For a medium-sized agglomeration serving nearly 50,000 people, secondary treatment is typically required, with potential additional nutrient removal standards in sensitive coastal watersheds. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 million gallons per day, indicating it is sized to handle the community's wastewater flows. The plant discharges treated effluent into local waterways that ultimately drain to the Atlantic Ocean. The coastal New Jersey region supports diverse marine and estuarine habitats, including salt marshes and tidal creeks that are important for fish and bird species. Proper treatment is essential to protect water quality in the sensitive coastal environment and downstream ecosystems.

The plant's treated effluent flows into the coastal watershed of southern New Jersey, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean. This region features extensive salt marshes and tidal wetlands that provide critical habitat for migratory birds, fish, and shellfish. The proximity to the coast means that nutrient loading from wastewater must be carefully managed to prevent eutrophication and protect marine water quality.