BERNARD STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bernard, Iowa

BERNARD STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Bernard, Iowa, a small community in Dubuque County. The plant serves a population of approximately 191 residents, classifying it as a very small agglomeration under US regulatory frameworks. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the minimum standard required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 68.14 thousand cubic meters per year and an actual discharge volume of 37.85 thousand cubic meters per year, the plant operates well within its capacity. As a US facility, it operates under an EPA NPDES permit issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, ensuring compliance with discharge limits. The treated effluent from BERNARD STP is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River basin. The plant plays a critical role in protecting downstream water quality in this agriculturally intensive region of the Upper Mississippi River watershed, helping to reduce nutrient loading and maintain aquatic habitat.

BERNARD STP discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids, protecting local streams and the larger Mississippi River ecosystem. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is part of the Mississippi Flyway, a major migratory bird corridor. Proper wastewater treatment is essential to prevent eutrophication and maintain water quality in this agriculturally dominated landscape.