Knobel WWTP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Knobel, Arkansas

Knobel WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Knobel, Clay County, Arkansas, United States. The facility serves a small population of 287 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. The plant is situated at 117 County Road 222, within the Mississippi River basin. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 170.34 megaliters and an annual discharge volume of 162.77 megaliters, it operates near its capacity. As a US facility, it is regulated under the Clean Water Act through an EPA NPDES permit, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River, a major river system flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for mitigating the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. The surrounding area is primarily agricultural, and the plant supports local water quality and ecosystem health.

Knobel WWTP discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River basin is a vast watershed that supports diverse aquatic life and is a critical migratory corridor for birds and fish. Nutrient pollution from upstream sources contributes to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, making advanced treatment at plants like Knobel important for downstream water quality.