BARNUM STL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Webster County, Iowa

BARNUM STL is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Webster County, Iowa, United States. It serves a small population of 174 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. The plant is situated on 190th Street in Johnson Township, within the broader Webster County area. The facility provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities under the U.S. Clean Water Act. Its designed capacity is 75.71 units, with an average daily discharge of 37.85 units, indicating moderate utilization. As a U.S. plant, it operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent from BARNUM STL likely discharges into a local waterway within the Mississippi River basin, as Iowa's drainage ultimately flows to the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations help maintain local water quality in this agriculturally intensive region, supporting downstream aquatic ecosystems.

The plant's discharge enters a local stream or river within the Mississippi River basin, which drains into the Gulf of Mexico. This region is part of the larger Mississippi River watershed, known for its agricultural runoff and nutrient loading. The secondary treatment process reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping to mitigate impacts on downstream water quality and aquatic life in the receiving water body.