PORTLAND BORO STP - Knowlton Township, New Jersey Wastewater Treatment Plant

PORTLAND BORO STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Knowlton Township, Warren County, New Jersey. Serving a population of 779, the plant is part of the region's infrastructure for managing domestic wastewater in a rural setting. The facility operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal plants of this scale. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 397.47 million gallons per day and an actual discharge volume of 295.26 million gallons per day, the facility operates below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. The plant is permitted under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Delaware River, a major water body supporting diverse aquatic life and providing drinking water for millions. The plant's location inland, more than 50 km from the coast, reduces direct marine impact but requires careful management to protect freshwater ecosystems in the Delaware River basin.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Delaware River, which flows into Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The Delaware River basin supports a variety of fish species, including American shad and striped bass, and is an important migratory corridor. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect water quality in this ecologically sensitive watershed.