MORTON POTW - Morton, Mississippi Wastewater Treatment Plant

MORTON POTW is a publicly owned treatment works (POTW) located in Morton, Scott County, Mississippi. The plant serves a small community of about 2,775 people, typical of rural wastewater infrastructure in the southeastern United States. As a US facility, MORTON POTW operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. For a plant of this scale, secondary treatment is the standard requirement under the Clean Water Act, ensuring that discharged water meets federal water quality standards. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Pearl River basin, which flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities, making proper treatment essential for regional water quality.

The treated effluent from MORTON POTW enters a tributary of the Pearl River, which flows through central Mississippi before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico near the Mississippi-Louisiana border. The Pearl River basin supports a variety of fish species and provides habitat for migratory birds. Maintaining effective wastewater treatment is critical to prevent nutrient loading and protect downstream aquatic ecosystems.