Rawls Springs Util Dist Lakewood Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Rawls Springs Util Dist Lakewood is a wastewater treatment plant located in Hattiesburg, Lamar County, Mississippi. It serves a small population of 1,056 residents in the Lakewood area, operating as a municipal facility within the state's wastewater infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for most municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 484.53 units and a discharge volume matching that figure, the plant operates at full capacity. As a small-scale facility, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, ensuring compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Pascagoula River basin, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water quality. The plant's inland location reduces direct marine impact, but its discharge contributes to the overall health of the Pascagoula River ecosystem.

The plant discharges into local tributaries of the Pascagoula River, one of the last free-flowing river systems in the contiguous United States. The Pascagoula River basin supports a rich diversity of fish, mussels, and aquatic plants, and its estuary provides critical habitat for migratory birds and marine species. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality in this ecologically significant watershed.