Pickaway Correctional Institute Wastewater Treatment Plant, Pickaway County, Ohio

Pickaway Correctional Institute is a wastewater treatment plant located at 11979 SR 762 in Pickaway County, Ohio, serving a population of 6,237. The plant is part of the state's correctional infrastructure and manages wastewater from the facility and surrounding area. As a U.S. facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting administered by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. For a population of this scale, secondary treatment is typically required, with additional nutrient removal standards applicable in the Ohio River basin. The plant's treated effluent ultimately drains into the Scioto River watershed, which flows into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. This downstream connection places the plant within a large interstate basin with significant ecological and water quality considerations.

The plant discharges into the Scioto River watershed, which drains into the Ohio River and ultimately the Mississippi River system. The Scioto River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. Downstream, the Ohio River provides drinking water for millions and sustains extensive riparian ecosystems. Nutrient loading from wastewater in this basin is a regional concern, contributing to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.