Overview
Beardstown STP serves approximately 6,100 residents in Beardstown, Illinois. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which mandates secondary treatment for municipal wastewater facilities.
Beardstown STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located at 1014 West 6th Street in Beardstown, Cass County, Illinois. The facility serves a population of about 6,123 people in this central Illinois community. As a U.S. wastewater facility, Beardstown STP operates under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. For a plant serving a population of this size, secondary treatment is typically required to meet effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids. The plant discharges treated wastewater to a receiving water body within the Illinois River basin, which ultimately drains to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The facility plays a role in protecting local water quality and downstream ecosystems in the Mississippi River watershed.
Environmental context
Beardstown STP discharges into a tributary of the Illinois River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico. The Illinois River supports diverse aquatic life, including fish and migratory birds, and is an important ecological corridor in the Midwest. The plant's operations help reduce nutrient and pollutant loads to this sensitive river system.
Frequently asked questions
Beardstown STP is located at 1014 West 6th Street in Beardstown, Cass County, Illinois, United States.
The plant serves approximately 6,123 residents in the Beardstown area.
The plant discharges treated effluent to a receiving water body within the Illinois River basin, which flows to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
As a U.S. municipal wastewater plant, Beardstown STP operates under the Clean Water Act and is required to have an NPDES permit issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which sets effluent limits for pollutants.
For a plant of this size, secondary treatment is standard under the Clean Water Act, typically involving biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.
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