Richmond Township-Virginville STP: Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Berks County, Pennsylvania

Richmond Township-Virginville STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Richmond Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The plant serves a small population of 246 residents and operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges. The plant provides secondary treatment, a biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 94.64 thousand gallons per day and a similar discharge volume, the facility is sized appropriately for its small service area. As a US plant, it operates under an EPA NPDES permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that flow into the Schuylkill River, a major tributary of the Delaware River. The Delaware River watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. The plant's location inland and its secondary treatment level help protect downstream water quality in this ecologically important basin.

The plant discharges into small streams within the Schuylkill River watershed, which flows southeast to the Delaware River and ultimately into Delaware Bay. The Schuylkill River supports diverse fish populations and is a key drinking water source for Philadelphia. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants, protecting aquatic habitats in this mixed urban-rural watershed.