Beaverton WWTF - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Beaverton, Michigan

Beaverton WWTF is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on Glidden Road in Beaverton, Michigan, within Gladwin County. The plant serves a small population of 1,077 residents, reflecting the rural character of the area. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal discharges to surface waters. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 454.25 m³/day and an average discharge volume of 378.54 m³/day, the facility operates below its capacity, indicating adequate headroom for current demand. As a small-scale plant, it is subject to EPA NPDES permitting administered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron, part of the Great Lakes system. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality in this ecologically sensitive region, which supports diverse aquatic life and recreational uses.

Beaverton WWTF discharges into a tributary of the Saginaw River system, which flows into Saginaw Bay, a shallow, nutrient-rich embayment of Lake Huron. The bay supports important fisheries, including walleye and perch, and is a critical migratory stopover for waterfowl. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is essential to prevent algal blooms and maintain the ecological health of the Great Lakes.