Suffolk Co SCSD 13 Windwatch STP - Town of Islip, New York Wastewater Treatment

Suffolk Co SCSD 13 Windwatch STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in the Town of Islip, Suffolk County, New York. The facility serves a population of approximately 4,000 and is situated in the Hauppauge Union Free School District area. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater before discharge. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,514.16 million gallons per day and currently treats an average daily flow of 639.74 million gallons, indicating it operates well below its capacity. Under the US Clean Water Act, secondary treatment is the minimum standard for municipal plants, and the facility is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. These permits set effluent limits to protect water quality. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately flow into the Atlantic Ocean, given its proximity to the coast. The facility plays a key role in protecting the sensitive coastal ecosystems of Long Island, including estuaries and marine habitats, by reducing pollutant loads from the surrounding suburban community.

The plant discharges into the local watershed that drains to the Great South Bay, a coastal lagoon on Long Island's south shore, which then connects to the Atlantic Ocean. The bay supports diverse aquatic life, including shellfish beds and finfish, and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate nutrient pollution that could otherwise contribute to algal blooms and hypoxia in the bay.