Rich Creek STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Rich Creek, Virginia

Rich Creek STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) is a municipal wastewater facility located in Rich Creek, Giles County, Virginia, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,200 residents, classifying it as a small community system under U.S. EPA regulations. It operates under the Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment as the minimum standard for municipal wastewater plants. The plant has a designed capacity of 757.08 cubic meters per day and currently discharges an average volume of 340.69 cubic meters per day. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting typical NPDES permit requirements for small communities. The plant's discharge is regulated by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent flows into local streams that drain into the New River, a major tributary of the Ohio River system. The New River watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important recreational and ecological resource in the Appalachian region. The plant's operations help protect water quality in this sensitive mountain ecosystem.

Rich Creek STP discharges into local tributaries of the New River, which flows northward through Virginia and West Virginia before joining the Ohio River. The New River watershed is ecologically significant, supporting native fish species and providing habitat for freshwater mussels. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping maintain water quality in this region known for its scenic rivers and biodiversity.