Saint Clairsville West WWTP - Advanced Treatment Facility in Belmont County, Ohio

Saint Clairsville West WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located near Interstate 70 in Belmont County, Ohio. The plant serves a small population of 564 residents, providing advanced treatment to protect local water quality. As a facility in the United States, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. It has a designed capacity of 189.27 million gallons per year and currently discharges 113.56 million gallons annually. For a plant of this small scale, advanced treatment is notable and indicates a commitment to high effluent quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Ohio River watershed. The Ohio River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing drinking water for millions. The plant's advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protects downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Ohio River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The Ohio River basin supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including several species of freshwater mussels and migratory birds. Advanced treatment at this plant helps minimize nutrient pollution, which is a key concern in the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone.