GLENDALE UTILITY DISTRICT Wastewater Treatment Plant, Petal, Mississippi

GLENDALE UTILITY DISTRICT is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on Evelyn Gandy Parkway in Petal, Forrest County, Mississippi. The plant serves a population of 1,603 and operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal facilities. As a small-scale plant, it plays a vital role in managing local wastewater in this southern Mississippi community. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 1419.53 units and an average discharge volume of 476.96 units, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. The plant is permitted under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), administered by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, ensuring compliance with federal water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Pascagoula River basin, one of the largest free-flowing river systems in the contiguous United States. The Pascagoula River supports diverse aquatic life, including several species of freshwater mussels and fish, and flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations help protect downstream ecosystems and maintain water quality in this ecologically significant watershed.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Pascagoula River, which flows through southeastern Mississippi into the Gulf of Mexico. The Pascagoula River basin is known for its rich biodiversity, including bottomland hardwood forests and critical habitat for migratory birds and fish. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, supporting the ecological health of this important coastal watershed.