CARY POTW - Cary, Mississippi Wastewater Treatment Plant

CARY POTW is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Cary, Sharkey County, Mississippi. The plant serves a small population of 523 residents, providing secondary treatment to meet state and federal water quality standards. As a facility in the United States, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which regulates discharges to surface waters. The plant has a designed capacity of 264,980 gallons per day and currently treats an average of 151,420 gallons per day, indicating operational capacity below design levels. Secondary treatment, which involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, is the standard for municipal plants of this scale in the U.S. The plant's discharge volume and treatment level are consistent with its small service population. Effluent from CARY POTW is discharged to local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River Basin. The Mississippi River and its tributaries support diverse aquatic ecosystems and are critical for regional water supply, agriculture, and recreation. Proper treatment at this plant helps protect downstream water quality in the Yazoo River and Mississippi River systems.

CARY POTW discharges treated wastewater into local streams that flow into the Yazoo River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River Basin is one of the largest watersheds in North America, supporting diverse fish and wildlife habitats. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping to maintain water quality in downstream rivers and wetlands that are ecologically sensitive and important for migratory birds and aquatic species.