Bloomington STP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Bloomington, Wisconsin

Bloomington STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Bloomington, Grant County, Wisconsin, along State Highway 35. The plant serves a small population of approximately 1,100 residents, reflecting the rural character of the area. It operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for all point source discharges. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. Its designed capacity is 348.26 million gallons per year, with an actual discharge volume of 264.98 million gallons per year. This indicates the plant operates below its design capacity, typical for small communities with stable or declining populations. The treated effluent is discharged into a receiving water body that ultimately drains into the Mississippi River basin. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient pollution contributes to seasonal hypoxia. By reducing nutrient loads, Bloomington STP plays a role in regional efforts to mitigate the Gulf of Mexico dead zone.

Bloomington STP discharges into a tributary of the Mississippi River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River basin is a major agricultural region, and nutrient runoff from both point and non-point sources contributes to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. The plant's advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, supporting efforts to protect downstream aquatic ecosystems and coastal water quality.