Pleasant Point WWTF, Pleasant Point

Overview

Pleasant Point WWTF is a secondary treatment plant serving 551 people in Pleasant Point, Maine. It discharges 378.54 m³/day of treated wastewater near the coast.

Pleasant Point WWTF (Wastewater Treatment Facility) is located in Pleasant Point, a small community in Washington County, Maine, United States. The plant serves a population of 551 and operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities of this scale. The plant has a designed capacity of 378.54 m³/day and currently discharges a similar volume, indicating full utilization. As a coastal facility within 10 km of the Atlantic Ocean, the plant's discharge is subject to stringent environmental oversight to protect marine ecosystems. The treated effluent likely enters a local watercourse that drains into the Gulf of Maine, a biologically productive region supporting fisheries, marine mammals, and migratory seabirds. The plant's operation helps maintain water quality in this sensitive coastal environment.

Environmental context

The plant discharges into a local stream or estuary that flows into the Gulf of Maine, part of the larger Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf of Maine is an ecologically significant area known for its cold-water habitats, supporting species such as Atlantic cod, lobster, and various seabirds. The coastal location means that even secondary-treated effluent can impact nutrient levels and dissolved oxygen in receiving waters, making proper treatment essential for preserving the health of downstream ecosystems.

Frequently asked questions

Pleasant Point WWTF is located at 7 Treatment Plant Road, Pleasant Point, Washington County, Maine, United States, near the Atlantic coast.

The plant serves a population of 551 people in the Pleasant Point community.

The plant discharges treated wastewater into a local water body that flows to the Gulf of Maine. As a coastal facility, the discharge is managed to protect marine water quality.

The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities.

The plant operates under the US Clean Water Act, with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. These permits set limits on effluent quality to protect receiving waters.