Bertha STP Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bertha, Minnesota

Bertha STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Bertha, Minnesota, a small community in Todd County. The plant serves a population of about 500 people, reflecting its role as a small-scale treatment system for the local area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of approximately 2,423 cubic meters per day, with a reported discharge volume of about 322 cubic meters per day, indicating it operates well below capacity. Treated effluent from Bertha STP is discharged into local surface waters that drain into the Mississippi River Basin. The plant's operations are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, ensuring compliance with water quality standards to protect downstream aquatic ecosystems.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, ultimately flowing into the Mississippi River and then the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds and fish. The region's agricultural landscape contributes nutrient runoff, making effective wastewater treatment critical to preventing eutrophication in downstream water bodies.