Lost Bridge WWTP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Garfield, Arkansas

Lost Bridge WWTP is a wastewater treatment facility located in Garfield, Arkansas, serving a small population of approximately 434 residents. The plant is situated in the Ozark region of northwestern Arkansas, an area characterized by karst topography and sensitive aquatic ecosystems. The facility employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 397.47 million gallons per day and an actual discharge volume of 83.28 million gallons per day, the plant operates well within its capacity. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, such facilities are regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent from Lost Bridge WWTP ultimately drains into the White River basin, which flows into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality, particularly in the ecologically sensitive Ozark streams that support diverse aquatic life, including several species of freshwater mussels and fish.

Lost Bridge WWTP discharges into the White River watershed, which flows through the Ozark Mountains before joining the Mississippi River and eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The region's karst geology makes groundwater particularly vulnerable to contamination, so advanced treatment is critical. The downstream waters support diverse aquatic ecosystems, including important fisheries and migratory bird habitats along the Mississippi Flyway.