Overview
Los Fresnos WWTP serves 5,200 residents in Los Fresnos, Texas. The plant operates under the US Clean Water Act, which governs wastewater treatment standards for municipal facilities.
Los Fresnos WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located at 367 West 8th Street in Los Fresnos, Cameron County, Texas. The plant serves a population of approximately 5,200 residents in this South Texas community near the Gulf Coast. As a US facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting. For small to medium agglomerations like Los Fresnos, secondary treatment is typically required to meet effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids. The plant's treated effluent ultimately drains into the Rio Grande basin and the Laguna Madre, an ecologically sensitive coastal lagoon that supports diverse aquatic life and serves as an important migratory corridor for birds. The region's semi-arid climate and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico make water quality management critical for downstream ecosystems.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Rio Grande basin, which flows into the Laguna Madre, a hypersaline lagoon along the Texas Gulf Coast. This lagoon supports seagrass beds, oyster reefs, and serves as critical habitat for migratory shorebirds and the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle. Nutrient loading from wastewater can impact the lagoon's sensitive ecology.
Frequently asked questions
Los Fresnos WWTP is located at 367 West 8th Street in Los Fresnos, Cameron County, Texas, United States.
The plant serves approximately 5,200 residents in the city of Los Fresnos and surrounding areas.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Rio Grande basin, which ultimately flows into the Laguna Madre, a coastal lagoon along the Gulf of Mexico.
As a US municipal wastewater plant, Los Fresnos WWTP operates under the Clean Water Act and is required to obtain an NPDES permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, setting effluent limits for pollutants.
For small to medium agglomerations like Los Fresnos, secondary treatment is typically required, which includes biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.
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