ASHTON TREATMENT SYSTEM Wastewater Plant, Lee County, Illinois

ASHTON TREATMENT SYSTEM is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Ashton Township, Lee County, Illinois. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,142 residents and operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal discharges. As a small-scale facility, it plays a key role in managing local wastewater in a rural setting. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 1,324.89 volume units and an average daily discharge of 794.94 volume units, the facility operates well within its capacity. Its treatment process meets the national effluent guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The treated effluent from ASHTON TREATMENT SYSTEM is discharged into local streams that drain into the Rock River watershed, which ultimately flows into the Mississippi River. The plant's operations help protect downstream aquatic habitats and support the ecological health of the region's surface waters, which are important for biodiversity and recreational use.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Rock River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Rock River watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as walleye and smallmouth bass, and provides habitat for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads and organic pollutants, protecting downstream water quality in the Mississippi River basin.