CUBA WWTP - Secondary Treatment Facility in Cuba, Alabama

CUBA WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on Pretty Branch Road in Cuba, Sumter County, Alabama. The facility serves a small population of 370 residents, reflecting the rural character of the surrounding area in western Alabama. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities of this scale. With a designed capacity of 227.12 megaliters per year and an actual discharge volume of 113.56 megaliters per year, the plant operates well within its capacity. Regulatory oversight is provided through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. The treated effluent is discharged to local streams that drain into the Tombigbee River basin, ultimately reaching the Gulf of Mexico via Mobile Bay. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in this rural watershed, supporting downstream aquatic habitats and recreational uses.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Tombigbee River, which flows south to join the Alabama River and form the Mobile River, emptying into Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish and mussel species, and provides important habitat for migratory birds. The secondary treatment process reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping maintain water quality in the downstream river system.