Tunnelton WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Preston County, West Virginia

Tunnelton WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Preston County, West Virginia, United States. The plant serves a small population of 151 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community within the Appalachian region. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 151.42 megaliters and an annual discharge volume of 113.56 megaliters, the facility operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for all point-source discharges to ensure compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Monongahela River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations help protect the ecological health of these downstream waters, supporting aquatic life and recreational uses.

The plant discharges into streams within the Monongahela River watershed, which flows into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. This region supports diverse aquatic species and is important for migratory fish. The secondary treatment reduces nutrient and pollutant loads, helping to maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive area.