HCUA Gulfport POTW - Gulfport, Mississippi Wastewater Treatment Plant

HCUA Gulfport POTW is a publicly owned treatment works serving the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, in Harrison County. The facility handles wastewater from a population of about 21,600, placing it in the medium-sized agglomeration category for US municipal plants. Under the US Clean Water Act, municipal wastewater treatment plants of this scale are typically required to meet secondary treatment standards through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. These permits set effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and other pollutants to protect water quality. The plant's discharge ultimately reaches the Gulf of Mexico via local waterways. The Mississippi Gulf Coast supports diverse estuarine habitats, including marshes and seagrass beds, which are sensitive to nutrient loading and require effective wastewater treatment to maintain ecological health.

The plant discharges into the Gulf of Mexico watershed, likely via a tributary of the Mississippi Sound. This coastal region supports important fisheries, oyster reefs, and migratory bird habitats. Nutrient pollution from wastewater can contribute to algal blooms and hypoxia in the Gulf, making effective treatment critical for downstream marine ecosystems.