Bearden WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Calhoun County, Arkansas

Bearden WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Calhoun County, Arkansas, serving a population of 966. The plant operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which mandates secondary treatment as the minimum level for publicly owned treatment works. The plant has a designed capacity of 643.52 million gallons and currently discharges 492.10 million gallons annually, indicating operational capacity below design. As a secondary treatment facility, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Ouachita River basin, contributing to the Mississippi River watershed. The plant plays a role in protecting downstream water quality in this ecologically diverse region of the Gulf Coastal Plain.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Ouachita River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The surrounding watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides habitat for migratory birds. The region's clay soils and flat terrain can make surface waters sensitive to nutrient loading, making effective treatment important for maintaining ecological balance.