Exshaw Wastewater Treatment Facility - Lac Des Arcs, Alberta | Secondary Treatment Plant

Exshaw Wastewater Treatment Facility is a municipal plant located on Diamond Drive in Exshaw, within the Municipal District of Bighorn, Alberta, Canada. It serves a small population of 220 residents in the Lac Des Arcs area, providing essential wastewater treatment for this rural community. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required under Alberta's Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act. For small communities like this, secondary treatment effectively reduces organic matter and suspended solids before discharge, meeting provincial water quality objectives. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Bow River system. The Bow River flows through the Canadian Rockies and is a vital water source for downstream communities and ecosystems, supporting diverse aquatic life and recreational activities.

The plant discharges into the Bow River watershed, which flows eastward through Alberta and eventually into the South Saskatchewan River system. This river network supports critical habitat for fish species such as bull trout and mountain whitefish, and provides water for irrigation and municipal use downstream. The Bow River is also a popular destination for recreation, making water quality protection essential.