Overview
Cottam Sewage Works is a secondary treatment plant serving 907 people in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada. It discharges treated wastewater near the Lake Erie shoreline, operating under provincial regulations.
Cottam Sewage Works is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in the community of Cottam, part of Kingsville in Essex County, Ontario, Canada. The plant serves a small population of 907 residents and operates with secondary treatment, which is standard for communities of this size in the province. The plant's treatment process involves secondary biological treatment, meeting Ontario's effluent quality standards. As a small-scale facility, it is regulated under Ontario's Environmental Protection Act and the Canada Water Act, which set discharge limits for parameters such as biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids. The plant's discharge volume is approximately 407 cubic meters per day. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately flows into Lake Erie, part of the Great Lakes system. Lake Erie supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its discharge can influence nearshore water quality, making nutrient management and pathogen control important operational priorities.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a tributary of Lake Erie, the southernmost and shallowest of the Great Lakes. Lake Erie's western basin is ecologically sensitive due to nutrient loading that can cause harmful algal blooms. The downstream environment includes important fish spawning areas and migratory bird habitats along the Lake Erie shoreline.
Frequently asked questions
Cottam Sewage Works is located on Belleview Drive in the community of Cottam, within the town of Kingsville, Essex County, Ontario, Canada.
The plant serves a population of 907 residents in the Cottam area of Kingsville, Ontario.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local watercourse that flows into Lake Erie, part of the Great Lakes system.
Cottam Sewage Works provides secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.
The plant operates under Ontario's Environmental Protection Act and the Canada Water Act, which set effluent standards for municipal wastewater. For small communities like Cottam, secondary treatment is typically required to protect receiving waters.
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