Union Springs V STP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Village of Union Springs, New York

Union Springs V STP is an advanced wastewater treatment facility located in the Village of Union Springs, Cayuga County, New York. The plant serves a population of about 974 residents, providing essential sanitation services for this small community in the Finger Lakes region. As an advanced treatment plant, Union Springs V STP goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants, meeting stringent discharge standards. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,249.18 thousand gallons per day and currently discharges approximately 401.25 thousand gallons per day, indicating ample capacity for future growth. Under the US Clean Water Act, such facilities operate under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which set limits on effluent quality to protect receiving waters. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. Cayuga Lake is a major freshwater resource supporting recreation, fisheries, and drinking water supplies. The advanced treatment helps protect the lake from nutrient pollution, which can cause harmful algal blooms. The plant's location within 50 km of the coast (Lake Ontario) places it in a watershed sensitive to nutrient loading, making its advanced treatment particularly important for downstream water quality.

The plant discharges into a tributary of Cayuga Lake, which is part of the Lake Ontario basin. Cayuga Lake is a deep, cold-water lake that supports a diverse aquatic ecosystem, including lake trout and landlocked salmon. The advanced treatment at Union Springs V STP helps minimize nutrient inputs that could contribute to eutrophication and algal blooms in the lake, which is a critical resource for recreation and drinking water in the region.