Bernice STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bernice, Louisiana

Bernice STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) is a municipal wastewater facility located on Cemetery Street in Bernice, Union Parish, Louisiana. The plant serves a small community of about 1,653 people, reflecting the rural character of the region. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,135.62 cubic meters per day and currently treats an average daily flow of 908.50 cubic meters, operating below its design capacity. In the United States, secondary treatment is the minimum standard required by the Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater plants, ensuring compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Ouachita River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in the region, particularly for downstream aquatic habitats and recreational waters.

Bernice STP discharges into small tributaries of the Ouachita River, which flows south through Louisiana to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The Ouachita River basin supports diverse aquatic life, including fish and mussel species, and provides habitat for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and organic pollution, which is critical for maintaining oxygen levels and preventing algal blooms in downstream waters.