PCPSD Snowshoe Valley WWTP - Snowshoe, West Virginia Wastewater Treatment

PCPSD Snowshoe Valley WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Snowshoe, Pocahontas County, West Virginia. The plant serves a population of about 4,025 people, reflecting its role in managing wastewater for this mountain community. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 2,081.97 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of 378.54 cubic meters per day, the plant operates well below its capacity. As a U.S. facility, it operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, ensuring compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway within the Potomac River basin, which ultimately drains into the Chesapeake Bay. The plant's location in the Appalachian region means it plays a key role in protecting headwater streams that support diverse aquatic life and contribute to the ecological health of the downstream watershed.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Potomac River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse fish, shellfish, and bird species. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, contributing to the bay's restoration efforts.