Dillard WPCP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Dillard, Georgia

Dillard WPCP (Water Pollution Control Plant) is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on Greenwood Road in Dillard, Rabun County, Georgia, United States. The plant serves a small population of 206 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community in the Appalachian foothills. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. Secondary treatment typically involves biological oxidation and settling to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 151.42 cubic meters per day and currently discharges an average of 378.54 cubic meters per day, indicating operational levels above design capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Tennessee River basin via the Little Tennessee River system. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities. The plant's operation is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Little Tennessee River, which flows into the Tennessee River and eventually the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed is part of the Southern Appalachian ecoregion, known for high biodiversity and sensitive aquatic species. The receiving stream supports trout populations and other cold-water species, making effluent quality critical for maintaining ecosystem health.