JCUA Gautier POTW - Gautier, Mississippi Wastewater Treatment Plant

JCUA Gautier POTW is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Gautier, Jackson County, Mississippi, serving a population of about 16,380. The plant is part of the region's wastewater infrastructure, managed under the US Clean Water Act framework. As a medium-sized agglomeration, the plant is expected to meet secondary treatment standards under the Clean Water Act, which requires removal of at least 85% of biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day, indicating it is sized to handle the community's wastewater flows. The plant's treated effluent ultimately drains into 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 water quality and aquatic life.

The plant discharges into the Mississippi Gulf Coast watershed, with treated effluent flowing through local streams and rivers before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Coast supports critical estuarine ecosystems, including salt marshes and oyster reefs, which are sensitive to nutrient pollution and require effective wastewater treatment to maintain ecological health and support fisheries.