Albany Millersburg Water Reclamation Facility, Albany, Oregon | Wastewater Treatment Plant

The Albany Millersburg Water Reclamation Facility is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Albany, Oregon, serving a population of about 47,929. It operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for discharges to surface waters. The plant is situated inland, more than 50 km from the Pacific coast, and its treated effluent flows into the Willamette River system. As a facility serving a medium-sized agglomeration, it is expected to provide at least secondary treatment under federal regulations. Typical plants of this scale in Oregon employ activated sludge or lagoon systems to meet state and federal effluent limits. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality oversees permitting and compliance. The plant's discharge ultimately reaches the Willamette River, a major tributary of the Columbia River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including salmon and steelhead runs, and is an important ecological corridor in the Pacific Northwest. The facility plays a key role in protecting water quality in this region.

The plant discharges into the Willamette River basin, which flows north to join the Columbia River and then to the Pacific Ocean. The Willamette River supports a variety of fish species, including threatened salmonids, and its riparian zones provide habitat for wildlife. The facility's operations help maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive watershed.