Cortland Town of Wastewater Treatment Plant, Illinois | US Clean Water Act Facility

The Cortland Town of wastewater treatment plant is located in Cortland, Illinois, a small community in DeKalb County. Serving a population of about 4,000, the plant is part of the municipal infrastructure that manages wastewater from residential and commercial sources in the area. As a facility in the United States, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for discharges into surface waters. For a community of this size, secondary treatment is typically mandated to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant's treated effluent likely flows into a local waterway that drains into the Kishwaukee River, a tributary of the Rock River, which ultimately reaches the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for downstream communities and agriculture.

The plant's discharge enters a local stream that feeds into the Kishwaukee River, part of the Rock River basin, which flows into the Mississippi River. This watershed supports a variety of fish and macroinvertebrate species and is important for regional water quality. The plant's treatment helps protect downstream ecosystems from nutrient pollution and pathogens.