The Harrisburg Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility (AWTF) is owned by The Harrisburg Authority and operated by the City of Harrisburg’s Department of Public Works. With a permitted capacity of 37.7 million gallons per day, the facility serves an estimated population of 122,000 people over an area of 43 square miles. This area includes the City of Harrisburg along with the Boroughs of Paxtang, Penbrook and Steelton, the Township of Susquehanna and portions of Lower Paxton and Swatara Townships. The average flow to the facility for 2009 was 23.0 million gallons per day.Sewage and storm water from the service area reach the facility through a wastewater conveyance system. Upon entering the facility, solids are separated from the wastewater through primary sedimentation and secondary biological treatment processes. The clarified water is finally disinfected and discharged to the Susquehanna River. Solids removed in the treatment process are stabilized in a series of Anaerobic Biological Digesters before being dewatered and disposed of to a landfill or being land applied for beneficial reuse.
