COBB CO SO COBB WPCP - South Cobb Water Reclamation Facility, Austell, Georgia

COBB CO SO COBB WPCP, also known as the South Cobb Water Reclamation Facility, is located in Austell, Georgia, within Cobb County. The plant serves a population of about 135,112, classifying it as a large municipal treatment facility in the metropolitan Atlanta area. As a US-based plant serving over 100,000 people, it operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which is part of the Clean Water Act. This regulatory framework requires secondary treatment as a minimum, with additional nutrient removal standards applicable to facilities discharging into sensitive watersheds like those in the Chattahoochee River basin. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately flow into the Chattahoochee River, a major water source for the region. The Chattahoochee River drains into the Apalachicola River and then into the Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of Mexico, supporting diverse aquatic ecosystems and providing drinking water for downstream communities.

The plant's discharge enters tributaries of the Chattahoochee River, which flows through Georgia, Alabama, and Florida before reaching the Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports critical habitats for fish, mussels, and migratory birds. The Chattahoochee River is a key drinking water source for Atlanta and is subject to nutrient management regulations to prevent eutrophication in downstream reservoirs and estuaries.