POWERS STP Wastewater Treatment Plant, Powers, Oregon

POWERS STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Powers, Oregon, a small community in Coos County. The facility serves a population of 689 and provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for domestic wastewater. The plant has a designed capacity of 249.84 million gallons per year and currently discharges 223.34 million gallons per year. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids before discharging treated effluent. The plant operates under the US EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated wastewater from POWERS STP is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains to the Pacific Ocean via the Coquille River system. The plant plays a key role in protecting the downstream aquatic environment, including the Coquille River estuary and coastal waters, by reducing pollutant loads from the community.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Coquille River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean near Bandon, Oregon. The Coquille River estuary supports diverse aquatic life, including salmon and steelhead runs, and is an important habitat for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality in this coastal watershed.