Matthews WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Matthews, Missouri

Matthews WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Matthews, New Madrid County, Missouri, United States. The facility serves a small population of 943 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community within the Mississippi River watershed. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 719.23 units and currently discharges 416.40 units, indicating operational headroom. The treated effluent from Matthews WWTP ultimately drains into the Mississippi River basin, a major waterway that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations contribute to protecting local water quality and the downstream aquatic ecosystem, including the ecologically significant Mississippi River Delta.

Matthews WWTP discharges into the Mississippi River basin, which flows southward to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River supports diverse aquatic life and is a critical migratory corridor for birds and fish. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, mitigating impacts on downstream water quality and the hypoxic zone in the Gulf.