Canadian Forces Base Suffield Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cypress County, Alberta

Canadian Forces Base Suffield is a wastewater treatment plant located in Cypress County, Alberta, Canada. It serves a small population of 289 people, primarily from the military base community. The plant is operational and situated in a semi-arid region of southern Alberta, characterized by prairie landscape and agricultural land use. As a small-scale facility in Canada, the plant is subject to provincial regulations under Alberta's Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act. It operates within the regulatory framework for small wastewater systems in Alberta. The plant discharges treated wastewater into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the South Saskatchewan River basin. This river system is vital for irrigation, municipal water supply, and supports diverse aquatic life. The downstream environment includes the South Saskatchewan River, which flows into Lake Diefenbaker and eventually reaches Hudson Bay via the Nelson River system.

The plant's treated effluent enters the local drainage network within the South Saskatchewan River basin, a major tributary of the Saskatchewan-Nelson River system. This watershed supports irrigated agriculture and provides habitat for fish species such as walleye and northern pike. The semi-arid climate means water resources are highly valued, and maintaining water quality is critical for downstream users and ecosystems.