Avinger WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Avinger, Texas

Avinger WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Avinger, Cass County, Texas. It serves a small population of around 700 people, typical of rural communities in the region. The plant is situated inland, far from coastal areas, and operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required for most municipal facilities under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). With a designed capacity of 458.03 million gallons and an actual discharge volume of 117.35 million gallons, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that eventually drain into the Cypress Bayou watershed and then into Caddo Lake, a large natural lake on the Texas-Louisiana border. Caddo Lake is an ecologically significant wetland system that supports diverse aquatic life and migratory birds. The plant's discharge must meet state and federal water quality standards to protect this sensitive downstream environment.

Avinger WWTP discharges into local streams that flow into the Cypress Bayou, which ultimately drains into Caddo Lake, a large natural lake on the Texas-Louisiana border. Caddo Lake is a biologically rich ecosystem with extensive cypress swamps and wetlands, providing critical habitat for fish, waterfowl, and other wildlife. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads to protect this ecologically sensitive water body.