St Clair Correctional Facility Wastewater Treatment Plant, St. Clair County, Alabama

St Clair Correctional Facility is a wastewater treatment plant located in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. It serves a population of approximately 1,718 people, primarily from the correctional facility and surrounding area. The plant operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater to protect public health and the environment. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 3,766.47 cubic meters per day and an average discharge volume of 832.79 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. As a US facility, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, ensuring compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that flow into the Coosa River basin, part of the larger Mobile River system that drains into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities. The plant's inland location reduces direct marine impact, but its discharge contributes to the overall health of the river ecosystem.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Coosa River, which flows into the Alabama River and ultimately the Mobile River delta and the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including several species of freshwater mussels and migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and organic pollution, protecting downstream water quality and aquatic habitats.