Copper City STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Calumet Township, Michigan

Copper City STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on Allouez-Copper City Road in Calumet Township, Houghton County, Michigan. The plant serves a small population of 193 residents in the Copper City area, part of the rural Keweenaw Peninsula region. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 113.56 million gallons per day, the plant operates within its capacity to manage local wastewater flows. As a small facility, it is subject to state-level NPDES permitting through Michigan's environmental agency. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Keweenaw Waterway and ultimately Lake Superior. The plant plays a role in protecting the water quality of this ecologically significant Great Lake, which supports diverse aquatic life and recreational activities.

The plant discharges into the Keweenaw Peninsula watershed, which flows through the Keweenaw Waterway and into Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes. This region supports cold-water fisheries and is important for migratory birds. The secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, protecting the lake's oligotrophic conditions and aquatic biodiversity.