Douglas Wastewater Treatment Fac - Secondary Treatment Plant in Douglas, Massachusetts

Douglas Wastewater Treatment Fac is a municipal wastewater facility located in East Douglas, Worcester County, Massachusetts, serving a population of approximately 1,085 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, and operates under the regulatory framework of the Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all discharges. The plant reports an annual wastewater discharge volume of 227.13 thousand cubic meters and a designed capacity of 454.25 thousand cubic meters, indicating it operates well below its capacity. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids before discharging treated effluent. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Blackstone River watershed, which flows into Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The Blackstone River is historically significant and supports diverse aquatic life, making proper wastewater treatment essential for protecting downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Blackstone River, which flows through Massachusetts and Rhode Island before emptying into Narragansett Bay. The Blackstone River watershed supports diverse aquatic habitats and is an important corridor for migratory fish species. Proper treatment helps maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive river system, which ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean.