Overview
Town of Picture Butte Wastewater System is a secondary treatment plant serving 1,114 people in Alberta, Canada. It discharges treated wastewater into the local watershed, supporting downstream water quality.
The Town of Picture Butte Wastewater System is a municipal treatment facility located in Picture Butte, Alberta, Canada. Serving a population of 1,114, this plant provides secondary treatment to manage domestic wastewater from the community. The plant is situated in the southern Alberta region, an area characterized by semi-arid climate and agricultural land use. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant meets the standard level of treatment required under Canadian federal and provincial regulations. The Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act mandate effluent quality standards for all wastewater systems in Canada. For a plant of this scale, secondary treatment is typical and ensures removal of biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Oldman River system, a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River. This river network supports diverse aquatic life and is used for irrigation and recreation downstream. The plant plays a key role in protecting water quality in this semi-arid region where water resources are critical for both ecological and human uses.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Oldman River watershed, which flows into the South Saskatchewan River and eventually into Hudson Bay via the Nelson River system. This basin supports a variety of fish species, including walleye and northern pike, and provides habitat for migratory birds. The semi-arid climate of southern Alberta makes the river system particularly sensitive to nutrient loading, which can lead to algal blooms and reduced oxygen levels. The plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate these risks by reducing organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located at 9 Street N, Picture Butte, Alberta, Canada, in the southern part of the province.
The plant serves a population of 1,114 people in the town of Picture Butte and surrounding areas.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which flows into the Oldman River system, a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River.
The plant operates under Canada's Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER), which set national effluent quality standards for all wastewater systems.
For a small community of this size, secondary treatment is standard under Canadian regulations, ensuring effective removal of organic matter and suspended solids.
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