Comfrey STP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Comfrey, Minnesota

Comfrey STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Comfrey, Cottonwood County, Minnesota. The plant serves a small population of 520 residents and is part of the state's wastewater infrastructure for rural communities. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the US Clean Water Act. This level of treatment is typical for facilities that discharge to sensitive water bodies or require additional nutrient removal. The plant has a designed capacity of 189.27 megaliters and treats an annual volume of 151.42 megaliters. The treated effluent is discharged to a local waterway that drains into the Minnesota River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream aquatic ecosystems and supports water quality in the region.

The plant discharges to a tributary of the Minnesota River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The Minnesota River basin is an agriculturally intensive region where nutrient pollution is a concern. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loads, supporting downstream water quality and mitigating hypoxia in the Gulf.