Albert City WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Buena Vista County, Iowa

Albert City WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States. The plant serves a small population of 699 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment as the minimum standard for municipal wastewater plants. The plant provides secondary treatment, a biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. It has a designed capacity of 340.69 cubic meters per day and discharges an average of 378.54 cubic meters of treated wastewater daily, indicating operation near or slightly above its design capacity. The plant's discharge volume and treatment level are consistent with its small service population. The treated effluent from Albert City WWTP is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River Basin. The plant's operations help protect downstream water quality in Iowa's rivers and streams, which support aquatic life and are used for recreation and agriculture. Proper wastewater treatment is essential for maintaining the ecological health of the region's surface waters.

Albert City WWTP discharges into local streams that are part of the Mississippi River Basin, one of the largest drainage systems in North America. The receiving waters eventually flow into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads and organic pollutants, which is important for mitigating downstream eutrophication and hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. The surrounding watershed is primarily agricultural, making effective wastewater treatment critical for protecting water quality and aquatic habitats.