Richmond Silver Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, Madison County, Kentucky

Richmond Silver Creek is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Madison County, Kentucky, United States. The facility serves a small population of approximately 960 residents, reflecting its role in a rural or suburban community. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater before discharge. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all point source discharges. For small plants like this, permits typically set effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and other parameters to protect water quality. The designed capacity is 11,356.20 cubic meters per day, with an actual discharge volume of 912.28 cubic meters per day, indicating ample capacity for current loads. The treated effluent is discharged to a local stream that flows into the Kentucky River, a major tributary of the Ohio River. The Kentucky River watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for many communities downstream. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, contributing to the ecological health of the river system.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Kentucky River, which flows into the Ohio River and ultimately the Mississippi River. The Kentucky River basin is ecologically significant, supporting diverse fish species and providing habitat for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate nutrient pollution, which is a concern in the Mississippi River watershed due to its contribution to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone.