Benton STP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Benton, Wisconsin

Benton STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on Riverside Drive in Benton, Lafayette County, Wisconsin. The plant serves a small population of 1,150 residents, reflecting the rural character of the community. As a publicly owned treatment works, it plays a key role in protecting local water quality. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 556.45 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 223.34 million gallons, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, such facilities must comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The treated effluent is discharged into a nearby water body, ultimately draining into the Mississippi River basin. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream aquatic ecosystems, including the Upper Mississippi River, which supports diverse fish and wildlife. By reducing nutrient loads, the facility contributes to the health of the Gulf of Mexico, where excess nutrients can cause hypoxic zones.

The plant discharges into a local stream that flows into the Galena River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River basin is a major ecological corridor supporting hundreds of fish species and migratory birds. Downstream, the river feeds into the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient pollution from the basin contributes to seasonal hypoxia. Advanced treatment at Benton STP helps reduce this impact.