Hunters Crossing WWTP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Northwood, Alabama

Hunters Crossing WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Northwood, Madison County, Alabama. Serving a population of 682, the plant provides advanced treatment to protect public health and the environment. The plant's designed capacity is 567.81 cubic meters per day, with a current discharge volume of 249.84 cubic meters per day. As an advanced treatment facility, Hunters Crossing WWTP goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. In the United States, such plants operate under the Clean Water Act, with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. These permits set strict limits on effluent quality to safeguard receiving waters. The treated effluent from Hunters Crossing WWTP flows into local streams that drain into the Tennessee River, a major tributary of the Ohio River and ultimately the Mississippi River. The Tennessee River supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. The plant's advanced treatment helps maintain water quality in this ecologically important watershed.

The plant discharges into small streams within the Tennessee River basin, which flows westward to join the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky, and then the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The Tennessee River is a critical habitat for numerous fish species and supports migratory birds along the Mississippi Flyway. Advanced treatment at this plant reduces nutrient loading, helping to prevent algal blooms and maintain dissolved oxygen levels in downstream waters.