Shannock Valley Yatesboro STP - Cowanshannock Township, Pennsylvania Wastewater Treatment

Shannock Valley Yatesboro STP is a wastewater treatment facility located in Cowanshannock Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. The plant serves a small population of 650 residents in the Yatesboro area, operating under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US EPA for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 246.05 thousand cubic meters per year and an actual discharge volume of 189.27 thousand cubic meters per year, the plant operates below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Allegheny River watershed, ultimately reaching the Ohio River and Mississippi River system. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in this rural Appalachian region, supporting aquatic life and downstream communities.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Allegheny River, which flows into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic species and is important for regional water supply. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollutant loads, protecting downstream ecosystems in the Ohio River basin.