Pembroke Pines WWTP - Wastewater Treatment in Pembroke Pines, Florida

Pembroke Pines WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Pembroke Pines, Broward County, Florida. The plant serves a population of about 57,925, placing it in the medium agglomeration category under U.S. regulatory frameworks. It is situated inland, more than 50 km from the Atlantic coast, and treats wastewater from residential and commercial sources in the suburban Miami metropolitan area. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 million gallons per day. As a U.S. facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. These permits set effluent limits and monitoring requirements to protect water quality. For a plant of this scale, secondary treatment is typically required, with possible additional nutrient removal to address local water quality concerns. The treated effluent is discharged to local surface waters that ultimately drain into the Atlantic Ocean via the Everglades and Biscayne Bay watershed. The region's subtropical climate and sensitive ecosystems, including the Everglades, make effective wastewater treatment critical for protecting downstream habitats and maintaining water quality in the Biscayne Bay estuary.

The plant discharges into the South Florida watershed, which flows through the Everglades and into Biscayne Bay, a coastal lagoon connected to the Atlantic Ocean. This region supports diverse aquatic life, including seagrass beds and mangrove forests, and is an important migratory corridor for birds and marine species. Nutrient loading from wastewater can contribute to algal blooms and habitat degradation, making advanced treatment important for protecting downstream ecosystems.