Overview
Pacific Beach STP is a secondary treatment plant serving 1,950 people in Pacific Beach, Washington. It discharges 378.54 m³/day of treated wastewater near the Pacific coast.
Pacific Beach STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Pacific Beach, Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The facility serves a small coastal community of approximately 1,950 residents, providing secondary treatment to manage domestic wastewater from the area. As a secondary treatment plant, Pacific Beach STP meets the minimum federal standard under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater treatment. The plant has a designed capacity of 972.85 m³/day and currently discharges an average volume of 378.54 m³/day, indicating operational capacity well within its design limits. The plant is situated near the Pacific Ocean, less than 10 km from the coast. The treated effluent from Pacific Beach STP is discharged into the Pacific Ocean via a nearshout outlet, contributing to the coastal water quality of the region. The surrounding watershed includes small coastal streams and the nearby Pacific Beach shoreline, which supports diverse marine life and recreational activities. Proper treatment is essential to protect the sensitive coastal ecosystem and public health.
Environmental context
The plant discharges treated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean near Pacific Beach, Washington. The coastal waters in this area are part of the larger Pacific Northwest marine ecosystem, supporting salmon runs, shellfish beds, and migratory seabirds. The discharge point is within a dynamic nearshore environment where dilution and mixing with ocean currents help disperse effluent, but careful treatment is required to minimize nutrient loading and pathogen risks to marine life and recreational waters.
Frequently asked questions
Pacific Beach STP is located on Ocean Beach Road in Pacific Beach, Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. It serves the small coastal community of Pacific Beach.
The plant serves approximately 1,950 residents of Pacific Beach, Washington, making it a small-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Pacific Ocean via a nearshore outfall. The discharge volume averages 378.54 m³ per day.
Pacific Beach STP provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater treatment plants.
As a U.S. plant, Pacific Beach STP operates under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. Secondary treatment is required for all municipal plants, and the permit sets limits on effluent quality to protect receiving waters.
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