Overview
La Crete Water and Wastewater Operations is a secondary treatment plant in Mackenzie County, Alberta, serving 855 people. It discharges treated wastewater into the local watershed, supporting downstream ecosystems.
La Crete Water and Wastewater Operations is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Mackenzie County, Alberta, Canada. The plant serves a small community of 855 residents and operates under Alberta's environmental regulations for wastewater management. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant's treatment process meets the standards expected for small agglomerations under Canadian provincial guidelines. In Alberta, wastewater facilities are regulated by the Alberta Environment and Parks, which issues operational approvals and sets effluent quality criteria. The plant's discharge volume is reported at 384.10 units, reflecting its scale relative to the population served. The treated effluent is released into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Peace River system and then to the Mackenzie River basin, flowing into the Arctic Ocean. This downstream connection highlights the plant's role in protecting water quality in a remote, ecologically sensitive region that supports diverse aquatic life and migratory species.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Peace River watershed, part of the larger Mackenzie River basin that drains into the Arctic Ocean. This remote region supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish species such as Arctic grayling and walleye. The secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic loading, protecting downstream water quality in a sparsely populated area where natural assimilation capacity is limited.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Mackenzie County, Alberta, Canada, near the community of La Crete in the northern part of the province.
The plant serves approximately 855 residents in the La Crete area of Mackenzie County.
The plant provides secondary treatment, which involves biological processes to break down organic matter and reduce suspended solids before discharge.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which flows into the Peace River system and eventually the Mackenzie River basin, draining into the Arctic Ocean.
The plant operates under Alberta's environmental regulations, which align with the Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent. Secondary treatment is standard for small communities to protect receiving waters.
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