PAOLI WWTP - Orange County, Indiana Wastewater Treatment Plant

PAOLI WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Orange County, Indiana, serving a population of approximately 3,844 residents. The plant is situated in a rural area of southern Indiana, where it manages wastewater from the surrounding community. As a US facility serving fewer than 10,000 people, PAOLI WWTP operates under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. Plants of this scale typically employ secondary treatment processes to meet effluent limits set by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The treated effluent from PAOLI WWTP discharges into a local stream that flows into the East Fork White River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, which ultimately drains to the Ohio River and Mississippi River system. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the East Fork White River, which flows into the Wabash River and then the Ohio River, part of the Mississippi River basin. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife species, including freshwater mussels and migratory birds. The region's karst topography can make groundwater particularly sensitive to contamination, emphasizing the importance of proper wastewater treatment.