Lavaca WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Lavaca, Arkansas

Lavaca WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Lavaca, Arkansas, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,289 residents in this small community within Sebastian County. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids. With a design capacity of 1,514.16 thousand cubic meters per year, the facility treats an average annual discharge volume of 287.69 thousand cubic meters, indicating it operates well below its designed capacity. As a US facility, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent from Lavaca WWTP is discharged into a local water body, likely a tributary of the Arkansas River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's location inland and its secondary treatment level help protect downstream aquatic ecosystems from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

The plant discharges into a local watercourse that drains into the Arkansas River basin, part of the larger Mississippi River watershed. The Arkansas River flows through Arkansas and eventually reaches the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. This region supports diverse aquatic life, including fish and migratory birds, and the plant's secondary treatment helps reduce the risk of eutrophication in downstream waters. The surrounding area is primarily rural and agricultural, so the plant's nutrient removal is important for maintaining water quality in the basin.