Russell FW Stephenson WWTF - Wynnehaven Beach, Florida Wastewater Treatment Plant

Russell FW Stephenson WWTF is a municipal wastewater treatment facility serving the community of Wynnehaven Beach in Okaloosa County, Florida. The plant serves a population of approximately 6,750 people, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category under U.S. regulatory frameworks. As a U.S. facility, the plant 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. The plant has a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day, indicating its operational scale. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Choctawhatchee Bay and then the Gulf of Mexico. This coastal discharge location underscores the importance of effective treatment to protect sensitive marine ecosystems, including seagrass beds and estuarine habitats that support diverse aquatic life.

The plant's discharge enters the Choctawhatchee Bay, a large estuarine system connected to the Gulf of Mexico. This bay supports diverse aquatic life, including fish, shellfish, and migratory birds. The proximity to the Gulf of Mexico means that nutrient loading from wastewater can contribute to algal blooms and hypoxia in coastal waters, making effective treatment critical for maintaining water quality and ecosystem health.