Peters Twp Upton STP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Peters Township, Pennsylvania

Peters Twp Upton STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Peters Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The plant serves a small population of 481 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community within the state. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 113.56 million gallons per year and a discharge volume matching that figure, the facility operates at full capacity. As a US plant, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Potomac River watershed, ultimately reaching the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary of ecological significance, and advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading that can cause algal blooms and hypoxia in the bay.

The plant's discharge enters small streams in the Potomac River basin, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and supports diverse aquatic life, including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish. Nutrient pollution from wastewater is a key concern for the bay's health, making advanced treatment important for protecting downstream water quality.