Municipalite Saint-Modeste Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saint-Modeste, Quebec

Municipalite Saint-Modeste is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located at 53 Route de l'Eglise Nord in Saint-Modeste, Quebec, within the Riviere-du-Loup regional county municipality. The plant serves a small population of 236 residents, reflecting the rural character of the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. As an operational secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge. The plant operates under Canada's federal wastewater regulations, specifically the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER) under the Fisheries Act, which set national effluent quality standards for all wastewater systems serving over 100 people. For a facility of this scale, secondary treatment is the expected standard to protect receiving waters. The plant's discharge volume of 106 cubic meters per day indicates a modest flow consistent with the small population served. The treated effluent from Municipalite Saint-Modeste is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the St. Lawrence River, one of Canada's most significant waterways. The St. Lawrence River supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish populations such as Atlantic salmon and sturgeon, and provides drinking water for millions of people. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality in this ecologically important river system.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the St. Lawrence River, which flows northeast through Quebec into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. The St. Lawrence River is a major ecological corridor supporting diverse fish species, migratory birds, and aquatic plants. The Bas-Saint-Laurent region features mixed forest and agricultural land, and the river's estuary is a critical habitat for marine life. Secondary treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading and protect downstream water quality in this sensitive watershed.