Goodwater Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Goodwater, Alabama

Goodwater Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on County Road 52 in Goodwater, Coosa County, Alabama. The plant serves a small population of 916 residents and operates as a lagoon-based secondary treatment system, typical for rural communities in the southeastern United States. As a secondary treatment facility, Goodwater Lagoon meets the minimum federal standard under the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater treatment. The plant has a designed capacity of 567.81 cubic meters per day and currently discharges approximately 378.54 cubic meters per day, indicating it operates below its design capacity. Facilities of this scale in Alabama are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. The treated effluent from Goodwater Lagoon ultimately drains into the Coosa River basin, which flows southwest through Alabama and joins the Alabama River before reaching Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The Coosa River supports diverse aquatic life, including several species of freshwater mussels and fish, and is an important resource for recreation and water supply in the region.

Goodwater Lagoon discharges into local streams that are part of the Coosa River watershed. The Coosa River flows through Alabama and joins the Alabama River, which empties into Mobile Bay, a large estuary on the Gulf of Mexico. The watershed supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish and mussel species that are sensitive to water quality. Proper treatment helps protect downstream habitats and recreational uses.