Union Point WPCP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Union Point, Georgia

Union Point WPCP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Union Point, Georgia, serving a population of approximately 1,762 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, and processes an average daily flow of about 2.28 million gallons per day based on annual discharge volume. The plant's designed capacity is 1,741.28 million gallons per year, indicating it operates well below capacity. As a US facility, it is regulated under the Clean Water Act through an NPDES permit issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. Secondary treatment typically removes 85% of biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Oconee River basin, part of the larger Altamaha River watershed. This river system flows through Georgia's coastal plain and supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as bass and catfish, before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

The plant's discharge enters a tributary of the Oconee River, which flows into the Altamaha River and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. The Altamaha River basin is one of the largest free-flowing river systems on the US East Coast, supporting a rich diversity of fish and wildlife, including several rare species. Secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protects downstream water quality in this ecologically significant watershed.