Coffey Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Coffey, Missouri

Coffey Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Coffey, Daviess County, Missouri. It serves a small population of 166 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. The plant is situated inland, far from coastal waters, and operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required for most municipal facilities under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). With a designed capacity of 68.14 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 37.85 million gallons per year, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variations. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Missouri River watershed. This river system supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural and recreational uses downstream. The plant's operation helps protect water quality in the region by reducing pollutant loads before discharge.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Grand River, a tributary of the Missouri River. The Missouri River watershed is a major ecological corridor in the central United States, supporting fish species such as pallid sturgeon and paddlefish. The plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality in this agriculturally intensive region, reducing nutrient and pathogen loads that could otherwise impact downstream ecosystems.