ALBION STL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Albion, Iowa

ALBION STL is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Albion, Iowa, United States. The facility serves a small community of 585 residents and operates under secondary treatment standards, which is the minimum required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal plants. The plant's designed capacity is 783.58 cubic meters per day, and it currently discharges an average of 757.08 cubic meters per day, indicating near-full utilization. As a secondary treatment plant, ALBION STL uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater. The plant is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, which set effluent limits to protect water quality. For a plant of this small scale, secondary treatment is typical and sufficient to meet regulatory requirements. The treated effluent from ALBION STL is discharged into a local water body, likely a stream or river within the Mississippi River Basin. The plant's location in central Iowa places it within an agricultural region, where nutrient management is a key environmental concern. The downstream waters eventually flow into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico, contributing to the larger watershed that supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional ecology.

ALBION STL discharges into a local water body within the Mississippi River Basin. The treated effluent eventually reaches the Mississippi River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds and fish. The region's agricultural land use means that nutrient loading from various sources, including wastewater, is a consideration for downstream water quality.