FOREST POTW - Forest, Mississippi Wastewater Treatment Plant

FOREST POTW is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Forest, Scott County, Mississippi, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 5,986 residents, classifying it as a small to medium-sized treatment facility under U.S. EPA guidelines. It operates under the Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all discharges into U.S. waters. As a plant serving fewer than 10,000 people, FOREST POTW is subject to secondary treatment standards under the Clean Water Act, which typically involve biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. Facilities of this scale commonly use activated sludge or lagoon systems to meet permit limits. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local streams that flow into the Pearl River basin, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The receiving waters support aquatic life and are part of the broader Mississippi River ecosystem. Proper treatment at FOREST POTW helps protect downstream water quality and recreational uses.

FOREST POTW discharges into tributaries of the Pearl River, which flows south through Mississippi and Louisiana into the Gulf of Mexico. The Pearl River basin supports diverse aquatic habitats, including wetlands and bottomland hardwood forests. Downstream waters are used for fishing and recreation, making nutrient and pathogen removal important for ecological health.