Folkston WPCP - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Folkston, Georgia

Folkston WPCP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Folkston, Charlton County, Georgia. Serving a population of about 2,358, the facility provides secondary treatment to manage domestic wastewater from the community. The plant is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its operations are part of the regional water infrastructure in southeastern Georgia. The plant employs secondary treatment processes, which include biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of approximately 1,060 thousand gallons per day and a current discharge volume of around 454 thousand gallons per day, the facility operates below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. As a U.S. plant, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Treated effluent from Folkston WPCP is discharged into local streams that flow into the St. Marys River basin, which ultimately drains to the Atlantic Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in this ecologically sensitive region, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides habitat for migratory species.

Folkston WPCP discharges into tributaries of the St. Marys River, which flows through the Okefenokee Swamp region and into the Atlantic Ocean near Cumberland Island. The watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including wetlands and estuarine habitats. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protects downstream water quality in this ecologically important area.