Calamus STL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Calamus, Iowa

Calamus STL is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Calamus, Iowa, United States. The facility serves a small population of 439 residents in this rural community within Clinton County. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 75.71 megaliters and discharges approximately 113.56 megaliters of treated wastewater annually. The treated effluent from Calamus STL is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River basin. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality in the region's streams and rivers, which support diverse aquatic life and are used for recreation and drinking water supplies.

Calamus STL discharges into local tributaries that flow into the Wapsipinicon River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is a critical ecological corridor supporting diverse fish, bird, and plant species. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, protecting downstream water quality in the Mississippi River basin.