ST MATTHEWS SOUTH PLANT Wastewater Treatment, Wertz Crossroads, South Carolina

ST MATTHEWS SOUTH PLANT is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located near Wertz Crossroads in Calhoun County, South Carolina. It serves a population of approximately 2,300 residents, placing it in the small community 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) permitting. For small communities like this, typical treatment includes secondary treatment or equivalent, with oversight from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The plant discharges treated effluent into local waterways that drain into the Santee River basin, ultimately reaching the Atlantic Ocean. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water resources for the region's communities and ecosystems.

The plant's treated effluent flows into tributaries of the Santee River, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Santee Delta. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife species, including migratory fish and wading birds. Maintaining proper treatment is essential to protect downstream water quality and the ecological health of the Santee River basin.