NICHOLLS LAS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Coffee County, Georgia

NICHOLLS LAS is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Coffee County, Georgia, United States. The facility serves a small population of 803 residents and is situated inland, away from coastal areas. It plays a key role in managing local wastewater for the community. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities of this scale. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 916.07 units and currently treats an average daily flow of 567.81 units, indicating it operates below its full capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Satilla River basin. The plant's operations are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets limits on pollutant discharges to protect water quality and aquatic life in the receiving waters.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Satilla River, which flows southeast through Georgia's coastal plain before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near St. Andrews Sound. The Satilla River is a blackwater river that supports diverse aquatic species, including fish and invertebrates adapted to low-oxygen conditions. The surrounding watershed includes forested wetlands and agricultural areas, making nutrient management important to prevent downstream eutrophication.