Franklin West Regional Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant (WCTS) - Franklin, Louisiana

Franklin West Regional Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant (WCTS) is a municipal facility serving the community of Franklin in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. The plant is situated in the southern part of the state, near the Gulf of Mexico, and handles wastewater for a population of approximately 9,700 residents. As a US-based plant, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). The plant has a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its treated effluent likely discharges into local waterways that drain into the Gulf of Mexico. This coastal location necessitates careful management to protect sensitive estuarine and marine ecosystems, including wetlands and aquatic habitats that support diverse wildlife and fisheries.

The plant is located in the Mississippi River Delta region, where local waterways flow into the Atchafalaya Bay and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. This area supports critical estuarine habitats, including marshes and wetlands that provide nursery grounds for fish and shellfish. The coastal environment is ecologically sensitive, with concerns about nutrient loading and its impact on hypoxia zones in the Gulf.