Overview
Cottonport WWTF is a secondary treatment plant serving 2,600 residents in Cottonport, Louisiana. It discharges treated wastewater into local waterways, operating under US EPA NPDES regulations.
Cottonport WWTF is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Cottonport, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,600 people, making it a small-scale facility within the state's wastewater infrastructure. It is situated on Prison Road, near the town center. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal facilities of this size. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 757.08 thousand gallons per day and currently treats an average daily flow of 499.67 thousand gallons per day, indicating operational capacity below design levels. The treated effluent is discharged into local receiving waters that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River Basin. The plant's operations are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. This ensures compliance with water quality standards to protect downstream aquatic ecosystems.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Mississippi River Basin, one of the largest drainage systems in North America. The receiving waters flow through the Atchafalaya Basin, a vast swamp ecosystem that supports diverse aquatic life, including fish, crustaceans, and migratory birds. The region's flat terrain and slow-moving waters make it sensitive to nutrient loading, which can lead to algal blooms and hypoxia. Proper treatment at Cottonport WWTF helps mitigate these risks.
Frequently asked questions
Cottonport WWTF is located at 1236 Prison Road in Cottonport, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, United States.
The plant serves approximately 2,600 residents in the Cottonport area.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater.
The plant operates under the US Clean Water Act and is regulated by an NPDES permit issued by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, ensuring effluent meets water quality standards.
Small municipal plants in Louisiana, like Cottonport WWTF, typically use secondary treatment processes such as activated sludge or lagoon systems, as required by state and federal regulations.
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