Owego V STP Wastewater Treatment Plant, Owego, New York

Owego V STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located at 27 River Street in Owego, New York, serving a population of about 3,900. The plant is situated in Tioga County, within the Susquehanna River watershed, and operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all discharges to surface waters. As a small to medium-sized facility, Owego V STP is expected to provide at least secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard for municipal wastewater plants in the United States. Typical facilities of this scale employ biological treatment processes such as activated sludge or trickling filters to meet permit limits. The plant's treated effluent is discharged to the Susquehanna River, which flows south through Pennsylvania and into the Chesapeake Bay. This discharge contributes to the nutrient and pollutant load in the bay, a large estuary that supports diverse aquatic life and is subject to regional nutrient reduction goals under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program.

Owego V STP discharges into the Susquehanna River, which drains into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The bay supports a rich ecosystem including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient pollution from wastewater plants contributes to eutrophication and hypoxic zones, making advanced treatment important for downstream water quality.