HICKORY FLAT POTW - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Hickory Flat, Mississippi

HICKORY FLAT POTW is a publicly owned treatment works located on Cornersville Road in Hickory Flat, Benton County, Mississippi. The plant serves a small community of about 535 people, reflecting its role as a local-scale municipal wastewater facility in the rural southeastern United States. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 340.69 cubic meters per day and an average daily discharge of 189.27 cubic meters, the facility operates well within its capacity, ensuring reliable treatment for the community. The treated effluent from HICKORY FLAT POTW is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River basin. This region is part of the larger Gulf of Mexico watershed, where nutrient management is critical to mitigate downstream impacts such as hypoxia in the Gulf. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and protect local aquatic ecosystems.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and serving as a major migratory corridor for birds and fish. Nutrient loading from wastewater and agricultural runoff in the region contributes to seasonal hypoxia in the Gulf, making effective treatment at plants like HICKORY FLAT POTW important for downstream water quality.