Charleston POTW - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi

Charleston POTW is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on Ned Rice Road in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, serving a population of 2,370. The facility provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, and discharges an average of 707.87 thousand gallons per day. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for all wastewater discharges. For a facility of this scale, secondary treatment is the minimum requirement to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant's designed capacity is 1,953.27 thousand gallons per day, indicating room for future growth. The treated effluent flows into local streams that are part of the Mississippi River basin, ultimately draining into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water quality. The plant's inland location reduces direct marine impact, but its discharge still contributes to the overall nutrient load in the Mississippi River system.

The plant discharges into local tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed is ecologically significant, supporting diverse fish and wildlife habitats. Downstream, the Mississippi River carries nutrients that can contribute to hypoxic zones in the Gulf, making nutrient management important for plants in this basin.