Carthage WWTP - Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Carthage, Tennessee

Carthage WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Carthage, Tennessee, serving a population of about 3,870. It is situated in Smith County within the Middle Tennessee region, an area characterized by rolling hills and the Cumberland River basin. As a small-scale treatment plant in the United States, Carthage WWTP is subject to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program under the Clean Water Act. The plant discharges treated wastewater into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Cumberland River. The Cumberland River flows through Tennessee and Kentucky before joining the Ohio River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. This waterway supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities.

Carthage WWTP discharges into the Cumberland River basin, which flows into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including several species of freshwater mussels and game fish. The plant's operations are important for maintaining water quality in this ecologically significant river system.