ASHLAND STP - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ashland, Wisconsin

ASHLAND STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Ashland, Wisconsin, serving a population of about 9,229. The plant is situated near the southern shore of Lake Superior, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, and its operations are critical to protecting this sensitive water body. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal facilities. The designed capacity is 1.00 million gallons per day, indicating a plant sized for a small to medium community. As a facility in a Great Lakes state, it likely adheres to additional state-level phosphorus and nutrient limits to prevent eutrophication. The plant's treated effluent ultimately discharges into the Lake Superior basin, which is part of the Great Lakes system. Lake Superior supports diverse aquatic life, including lake trout, whitefish, and sturgeon, and is a vital resource for drinking water, recreation, and commerce. Protecting this watershed from nutrient pollution and pathogens is essential for maintaining water quality and ecosystem health.

ASHLAND STP discharges into the Lake Superior watershed, the largest of the Great Lakes by volume. The lake's cold, deep waters support a unique ecosystem with species such as lake trout and burbot. The plant's location within 50 km of the coast means its effluent can influence nearshore water quality, making nutrient and pathogen control critical to prevent algal blooms and protect recreational uses.