Overview
Little Rock Adams Field WWTP serves approximately 127,000 people in Little Rock, Arkansas. The plant operates under U. S. EPA NPDES regulations for municipal wastewater treatment.
Little Rock Adams Field WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Little Rock, Arkansas, serving an estimated population of 127,004. The plant is situated in the Arkansas River basin and plays a key role in managing wastewater for the state capital and surrounding areas. As a large agglomeration serving over 100,000 people, the plant is subject to U. S. Clean Water Act requirements, including National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting. Facilities of this scale typically employ secondary or advanced treatment to meet effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and nutrients. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the Arkansas River, which flows southeast to the Mississippi River and ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico. This downstream connectivity underscores the plant's role in protecting water quality in a major navigable river system and the sensitive delta and coastal ecosystems downstream.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Arkansas River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River that drains into the Gulf of Mexico. The lower Arkansas River supports diverse aquatic life, including several fish species and migratory birds. Nutrient loading from wastewater can contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf, making effective treatment critical for downstream ecosystem health.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located at 1073 Temple Street in Little Rock, Arkansas, within Pulaski County.
The plant serves approximately 127,004 people in the Little Rock metropolitan area.
The plant discharges treated wastewater into the Arkansas River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico.
As a large municipal facility, it operates under the U. S. Clean Water Act and requires an NPDES permit issued by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, setting limits on pollutants to protect water quality.
Plants of this size typically provide secondary treatment or advanced treatment, including biological processes to remove organic matter and solids, and often nutrient removal to meet state and federal standards.
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