Overview
BARAGA STP is a secondary treatment plant in Assinins, Michigan, serving 2,100 people. It discharges 946.35 m³/day of treated wastewater near Lake Superior.
BARAGA STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Assinins, Michigan, within Baraga County. It serves a population of approximately 2,100 residents in the Keweenaw Bay area, operating as a secondary treatment facility under the U.S. Clean Water Act framework. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,324.89 m³/day and currently discharges 946.35 m³/day of treated effluent. As a secondary treatment plant, it meets the standard requirements for biological treatment of organic matter and suspended solids, consistent with EPA regulations for facilities of this scale. The plant's discharge enters the local watershed, which drains into Keweenaw Bay of Lake Superior. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and supports a diverse aquatic ecosystem, including native fish species and migratory birds. The plant's coastal location necessitates careful management to protect water quality in this sensitive freshwater environment.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Keweenaw Bay watershed, which flows directly into Lake Superior, the largest and most pristine of the Great Lakes. Lake Superior supports a cold-water fishery including lake trout and whitefish, and its shoreline provides critical habitat for migratory birds. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means treated effluent enters a sensitive freshwater ecosystem where nutrient loading and contaminant control are essential for maintaining water quality.
Frequently asked questions
BARAGA STP is located at 940 US 41 in Assinins, Michigan, within Baraga County, near the Keweenaw Bay of Lake Superior.
The plant serves approximately 2,100 residents in the Assinins and Keweenaw Bay area.
BARAGA STP provides secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.
As a municipal wastewater plant in the United States, BARAGA STP operates under the Clean Water Act, requiring an NPDES permit issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to regulate discharges and protect water quality.
For small communities of this size, secondary treatment is standard, often using activated sludge or lagoon systems, with disinfection to meet permit limits for pathogens and nutrients.
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