Clarksville WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Clarksville, Iowa

Clarksville WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Clarksville, Iowa, a small community in Butler County. The facility serves a population of about 1,382 residents, reflecting its role as a key component of the town's infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 567.81 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of 454.25 cubic meters per day, the plant operates below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. As a publicly owned treatment works (POTW), it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Cedar River watershed, part of the larger Mississippi River basin. This discharge supports downstream aquatic ecosystems and must meet state and federal standards to minimize environmental impact.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Cedar River, which flows into the Iowa River and then the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as channel catfish and smallmouth bass. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, protecting downstream water quality in the Mississippi River basin.