PACE POTW - Pace, Mississippi Wastewater Treatment Plant

PACE POTW is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located at 102 Bazzell Street in Pace, Bolivar County, Mississippi. The plant serves a small population of 487 residents, reflecting the rural character of the Mississippi Delta region. As a publicly owned treatment works (POTW), it provides essential sanitation services to the community. The plant operates at the secondary treatment level, which is the minimum standard required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 227.12 million gallons per day and an actual discharge volume of 87.06 million gallons per day, the facility maintains significant reserve capacity. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, ensuring effluent meets federal water quality standards. The treated wastewater is discharged into local receiving waters that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River watershed. The Mississippi Delta region is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing critical habitat for migratory birds. The plant's compliance with NPDES permit requirements helps protect downstream water quality in this agriculturally intensive landscape.

PACE POTW discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The lower Mississippi River basin supports a rich ecosystem including fish, mussels, and waterfowl. The facility's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading that could contribute to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, an area of seasonal oxygen depletion that affects marine life.