Wrightsville Boro STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania

Wrightsville Boro STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, serving a population of 2,223. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, and has a designed capacity of 1,514.16 thousand gallons per day, with an actual discharge volume of 870.65 thousand gallons per day. As a secondary treatment plant, it meets the minimum requirements under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater treatment. The plant operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that drains into the Susquehanna River, ultimately reaching the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary with significant ecological importance, supporting diverse aquatic life and migratory birds. The plant's discharge contributes to the nutrient and pollutant load in the watershed, making its treatment performance critical for downstream water quality.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic species including blue crabs, oysters, and striped bass. Nutrient pollution from wastewater treatment plants is a key concern for the bay's health, as excess nitrogen and phosphorus can cause harmful algal blooms and hypoxia.