East Pender WWTP - Projected Wastewater Treatment Plant in Pender County, North Carolina

East Pender WWTP is a planned wastewater treatment facility located in Pender County, North Carolina, United States. The plant is designed to serve a population of approximately 35,932 residents, positioning it as a medium-sized municipal treatment facility within the state's wastewater infrastructure. As a projected facility, East Pender WWTP will be subject to the U.S. Clean Water Act and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting requirements. For plants serving populations of this scale, secondary treatment is typically mandated, with potential additional nutrient removal standards in sensitive watersheds like those in North Carolina's coastal plain. The plant's discharge will ultimately flow into the Cape Fear River basin, which drains to the Atlantic Ocean. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic life and are important for regional water quality, particularly given the ecological sensitivity of North Carolina's coastal estuaries and the Cape Fear River's role as a major regional waterway.

East Pender WWTP will discharge into the Cape Fear River basin, which flows southeast through North Carolina and empties into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear. The river and its estuary support diverse aquatic ecosystems, including important fish spawning grounds and migratory bird habitats. The region's coastal plain topography and proximity to the Atlantic make nutrient management a critical consideration for protecting downstream water quality.