Bonners Ferry S_T Plant - Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Bonners Ferry, Idaho

The Bonners Ferry S_T Plant is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Bonners Ferry, Boundary County, Idaho. Serving a population of approximately 2,543 residents, the plant is part of the city's essential infrastructure for managing domestic wastewater. The facility is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and discharges into the local watershed. Under the US Clean Water Act, municipal wastewater treatment plants of this scale are typically required to meet secondary treatment standards through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. These permits set effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and other pollutants to protect water quality. The plant's treated effluent flows into the Kootenai River basin, which ultimately drains into the Columbia River and then the Pacific Ocean. The Kootenai River supports diverse aquatic life, including several fish species, and the plant's operations play a role in maintaining downstream water quality in this transboundary watershed.

The plant discharges into the Kootenai River, a major tributary of the Columbia River system. The Kootenai River flows through Idaho and Montana before entering Canada and eventually joining the Columbia River, which empties into the Pacific Ocean. The watershed supports a variety of fish species, including trout and whitefish, and the plant's treatment performance is important for maintaining water quality in this ecologically sensitive river system.