BADGER STL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Badger, Iowa

BADGER STL is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Badger, Iowa, United States. The facility serves a small population of 569 residents in the rural community of Webster County. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all wastewater discharges. For small communities like Badger, secondary treatment is the standard requirement to protect water quality. The plant has a designed capacity of 189.27 megaliters and reports an annual discharge volume of 227.13 megaliters, indicating it operates near its capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that eventually drain into the Des Moines River basin, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. This river system supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protect the ecological health of the receiving waters.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Des Moines River, which joins the Mississippi River and ultimately reaches the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed is part of the Mississippi River basin, a critical migratory corridor for birds and fish. Nutrient pollution from wastewater can contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf, making effective treatment important for downstream ecosystems.