Overview
Orbisonia Rockhill STP is an advanced wastewater treatment plant in Cromwell Township, Pennsylvania, serving 839 people. It discharges 454.25 units of treated effluent daily, with a designed capacity of 692.73 units.
Orbisonia Rockhill STP is an advanced wastewater treatment facility located in Cromwell Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The plant serves a small population of 839 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community within the Juniata River watershed. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 692.73 units and an average discharge volume of 454.25 units, the facility operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for all point source discharges. For small communities, Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection oversees compliance with effluent limits tailored to local water quality standards. The treated effluent from Orbisonia Rockhill STP ultimately drains into the Juniata River, a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and migratory fish species. The plant's advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, contributing to the bay's restoration goals.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Juniata River basin, part of the larger Susquehanna River watershed that drains into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary with significant ecological importance, supporting diverse aquatic habitats and migratory species. Advanced treatment at this plant helps minimize nutrient and pollutant loads, protecting downstream water quality and the bay's delicate ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
Orbisonia Rockhill STP is located in Cromwell Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The facility is situated near Orbisonia Cemetery on Cemetery Street.
The plant serves a population of 839 people, making it a small-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility for the local community.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Juniata River watershed, which flows into the Susquehanna River and ultimately reaches the Chesapeake Bay. The discharge volume averages 454.25 units per day.
The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond secondary treatment to remove additional pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus. This is typical for facilities discharging into sensitive watersheds like the Chesapeake Bay.
As a point source discharger, the plant operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The permit sets effluent limits to protect water quality in the receiving stream.
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