Jefferson County Five Mile WWTP, Birmingham

Overview

Jefferson County Five Mile WWTP serves Birmingham, Alabama, treating wastewater for approximately 75,000 residents. The plant discharges into the Five-Mile Creek watershed, part of the Black Warrior River basin.

The Jefferson County Five Mile WWTP, also known as the Five-Mile Creek Water Reclamation Facility, is located in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It serves a population of approximately 75,000 people, making it a medium-to-large municipal wastewater treatment plant in the region. As a US facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. For a plant serving this population size, secondary treatment is typically required, with potential nutrient removal standards depending on the receiving water body's sensitivity. The plant discharges into Five-Mile Creek, a tributary of the Black Warrior River, which flows into the Tombigbee River and eventually the Mobile River and Mobile Bay. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor in the southeastern United States.

Environmental context

The plant's treated effluent enters Five-Mile Creek, which flows into the Black Warrior River, a major tributary of the Mobile River system. The Mobile River Basin is one of the most biodiverse in North America, supporting numerous fish and mussel species. Downstream, the waters reach Mobile Bay, an estuary critical for fisheries and migratory birds. The plant's discharge must meet water quality standards to protect these downstream ecosystems.

Frequently asked questions

The plant is located at 716 Happy Hollow Lane, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, United States.

The plant serves approximately 75,000 residents in the Birmingham area.

The plant discharges into Five-Mile Creek, which flows into the Black Warrior River and eventually the Mobile River and Mobile Bay.

The plant operates under the Clean Water Act and must obtain an NPDES permit from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, which sets limits on pollutants to protect water quality.

For a plant of this size, secondary treatment is standard, and advanced treatment may be required if the receiving water body is sensitive to nutrients.