SUNBRIGHT STP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Sunbright, Tennessee

SUNBRIGHT STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Sunbright, Morgan County, Tennessee. The plant serves a small population of 156 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community in East Tennessee. The facility is situated near Sunbright High School on Burrville Road. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the U.S. Clean Water Act. Advanced treatment typically removes additional nutrients or contaminants, ensuring high-quality effluent. The plant has a designed capacity of 75.71 volume units and discharges an average of 87.06 volume units, indicating it operates near its capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Tennessee River system, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The facility plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Tennessee River basin, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions downstream.

The plant discharges into local tributaries of the Tennessee River, which flows into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The Tennessee River basin is ecologically significant, supporting diverse fish and mussel species. The advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing eutrophication in downstream waters.