RAYVILLE STP Wastewater Treatment Plant, Girard, Louisiana

RAYVILLE STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on Old River Road in Girard, Richland Parish, Louisiana. It serves a population of about 3,695 people, placing it in the small-agglomeration category under U.S. regulatory frameworks. As a U.S. facility, RAYVILLE STP operates under the Clean Water Act, administered by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Plants of this scale typically employ secondary treatment processes to meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements, ensuring effluent quality protects receiving waters. The plant's treated effluent discharges into local streams that flow into the Ouachita River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides habitat for fish and wildlife. The Mississippi River ultimately drains into the Gulf of Mexico, making nutrient management important for downstream coastal ecosystems.

RAYVILLE STP discharges into local waterways within the Ouachita River basin, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The surrounding region is part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, characterized by fertile soils and extensive wetlands. The plant's effluent contributes to the nutrient load in the river system, which can affect downstream water quality and contribute to hypoxic zones in the Gulf. Proper treatment is essential to minimize ecological impacts on aquatic habitats and migratory bird routes.