Overview
Princess Anne WWTP serves 5,400 residents in Princess Anne, Maryland. The plant is located near the coast and operates under U.S. EPA NPDES regulations.
Princess Anne WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility serving the town of Princess Anne in Somerset County, Maryland. The plant serves a population of approximately 5,400 people, typical of a small community on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay region. As a U.S. facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment. For a plant of this scale, secondary treatment is the standard requirement, with potential additional nutrient removal standards due to the Chesapeake Bay's sensitivity to nitrogen and phosphorus. The plant's treated effluent discharges into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The Chesapeake Bay watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including blue crabs, oysters, and migratory fish, and is subject to strict nutrient reduction goals under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a vast estuary system that drains into the Atlantic Ocean. The Bay is ecologically sensitive due to nutrient pollution, which can cause harmful algal blooms and hypoxic zones. The plant's location within 50 km of the coast means its discharge may influence both freshwater and marine environments, requiring careful management of nutrients and other pollutants.
Frequently asked questions
Princess Anne WWTP is located on Linden Avenue in Princess Anne, Somerset County, Maryland, United States.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local waterways that drain into the Chesapeake Bay. As a U.S. facility, it operates under an NPDES permit that sets limits on pollutants to protect water quality.
The plant protects the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which includes the Manokin River and other tributaries on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The Bay is a vital estuary supporting diverse aquatic life.
The plant is regulated under the Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for all point source discharges. For a plant serving 5,400 people, secondary treatment is typically required, with additional nutrient controls in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Plants of this size in the U.S. typically use secondary treatment processes such as activated sludge or trickling filters. In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, enhanced nutrient removal may be required to meet TMDL goals.
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