Alexandria Lakes Area SD Wastewater Treatment Plant, Alexandria, Minnesota

Alexandria Lakes Area SD is a wastewater treatment facility serving the city of Alexandria in Douglas County, Minnesota. The plant handles wastewater for a population of about 26,753, placing it in the medium-agglomeration category under US regulatory frameworks. As a US facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. For communities of this size, secondary treatment is typically required, with additional nutrient removal in sensitive watersheds. The plant's treated effluent enters local lakes and streams that are part of the Mississippi River basin, ultimately draining into the Gulf of Mexico. This region is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic life and recreational water uses.

The plant discharges into the Alexandria lakes chain, which flows into the Pomme de Terre River and eventually the Minnesota River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River carries the effluent to the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient loading contributes to the hypoxic zone. The local watershed includes numerous glacial lakes that support tourism and fisheries, making water quality protection critical.