ATKINSON STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Henry County, Illinois

ATKINSON STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Henry County, Illinois, serving a population of approximately 1,158 residents. The facility operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater to protect water quality. The plant has a designed capacity of 605.66 m³/day and currently treats an average daily flow of 378.54 m³/day, indicating operational headroom. As a secondary treatment facility, it employs biological processes to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge. The treated effluent is released into local streams that drain into the Mississippi River basin, ultimately reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems and supporting regional water quality standards.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. This region is part of the Mississippi River Basin, a major ecological corridor supporting diverse fish and bird species. The treatment plant helps reduce nutrient loading that could contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf.