Ruston North Plant: Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Ruston, Louisiana

Ruston North Plant is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Ruston, Lincoln Parish, Louisiana. It serves a population of approximately 21,859 residents, placing it in the medium-agglomeration category for US wastewater infrastructure. As a US facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. For plants serving this population size, secondary treatment is typically required, with possible additional nutrient removal standards depending on the receiving water body. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Ouachita River basin, which flows south to the Mississippi River and into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional water quality management.

The plant discharges into the Ouachita River basin, which flows through northern Louisiana before joining the Mississippi River and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife species, including several freshwater mussels and migratory birds. Nutrient loading from wastewater can impact downstream water quality, particularly in the hypoxic zone of the Gulf.