UNION WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Union, West Virginia

UNION WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Union, West Virginia, serving a small community of approximately 720 residents. The facility operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which governs wastewater discharges through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level required for most municipal facilities in the U.S. to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. Its designed capacity is 340.69 volume units, and the current discharge volume matches this figure, indicating full utilization of its treatment capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Greenbrier River, a tributary of the New River, which flows into the Kanawha River and then the Ohio River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides recreational and drinking water resources for downstream communities.

The plant's discharge enters a local stream that flows into the Greenbrier River, part of the Ohio River basin. The Greenbrier River is known for its high water quality and supports a variety of fish species, including smallmouth bass and trout. Downstream, the New River and Kanawha River systems provide habitat for freshwater mussels and other sensitive aquatic organisms. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect these ecosystems from nutrient pollution and organic loading.