Bonne Terre NW WWTP: Missouri Wastewater Treatment Plant Serving Bonne Terre

Bonne Terre NW WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on Hazel Street in Bonne Terre, Saint Francois County, Missouri. The plant serves a population of about 4,325 people, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category for U.S. inland communities. As a U.S. facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources administers the state's NPDES program, ensuring compliance with federal effluent guidelines. The plant discharges treated wastewater to a local waterway that ultimately flows into the Mississippi River Basin. The Big River, a tributary of the Meramec River, is the nearest significant watercourse in the area. The plant's operations help protect downstream aquatic habitats and water quality in the Meramec River system, which supports diverse fish and wildlife populations.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Big River, which flows into the Meramec River and eventually the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including game fish species such as bass and catfish. The region's karst topography means groundwater and surface water are closely connected, making proper wastewater treatment critical for protecting local springs and streams.