SHAW POTW - Bolivar County, Mississippi Wastewater Treatment Plant

SHAW POTW is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, serving a population of approximately 1,946 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, ensuring that pollutants are reduced before discharge. With a designed capacity of 1,362.74 million gallons per day and an average discharge volume of 325.55 million gallons per day, the plant operates well within its capacity. As a US facility, it is regulated under the Clean Water Act and operates under an NPDES permit issued by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Mississippi River basin, ultimately reaching the Gulf of Mexico. This discharge contributes to the overall water quality of the region, supporting aquatic life and downstream ecosystems.

SHAW POTW discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River basin is a major ecological corridor supporting diverse fish and wildlife. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, mitigating contributions to the Gulf's hypoxic zone.