ALTAMONT STP NORTH Wastewater Treatment Plant, Altamont, Illinois

ALTAMONT STP NORTH is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Altamont, Effingham County, Illinois. Serving a small population of 704, the plant provides secondary treatment to meet state and federal water quality standards under the U.S. Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 378.54 megaliters per year and currently treats an average daily flow of 529.96 megaliters per year, indicating it operates above its nominal capacity. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The treated effluent is released into local streams that drain into the Kaskaskia River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities. The plant's operations are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, ensuring compliance with effluent limits to protect water quality.

The plant discharges into local waterways that flow into the Kaskaskia River, which ultimately joins the Mississippi River. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including species of concern such as the eastern massasauga rattlesnake and several freshwater mussel species. The region's agricultural land use can contribute nutrient runoff, making the plant's nutrient removal important for preventing downstream eutrophication.