COOK MUN WWTF - Cook, Minnesota Wastewater Treatment Plant

COOK MUN WWTF is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Cook, Minnesota, a small community in Saint Louis County. The plant serves a population of 564 and operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. Its design capacity is 696.51 volume units, with an actual discharge volume of 514.82, indicating operational headroom. As a facility in the US, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Great Lakes basin via the St. Louis River and Lake Superior. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is ecologically sensitive, requiring careful management of nutrient and pollutant loads to protect downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the St. Louis River, which flows into Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes. This watershed is ecologically sensitive, supporting cold-water fisheries and migratory birds. The region's boreal forest and wetlands contribute to water quality, and the plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic loading to protect downstream aquatic habitats.