Stonington Pawcatuck WPCF - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Stonington, Connecticut

Stonington Pawcatuck WPCF is a municipal wastewater treatment facility serving the village of Pawcatuck in Stonington, Connecticut. The plant serves a population of approximately 4,323 and has a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day, reflecting its role in managing wastewater for this small coastal community. As a facility in the United States, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. For small agglomerations like this, secondary treatment is typically required to meet water quality standards before discharge. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the Pawcatuck River, which flows into Little Narragansett Bay and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean. This coastal watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor for migratory fish species.

The Pawcatuck River forms the border between Connecticut and Rhode Island, draining into Little Narragansett Bay, a coastal estuary that connects to Block Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. This watershed supports diverse aquatic habitats, including tidal marshes and eelgrass beds, which provide nursery grounds for fish and shellfish. The plant's discharge contributes to maintaining water quality in this ecologically sensitive coastal system.