Defiance WWTP and Sewer System - Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Defiance County, Ohio

Defiance WWTP and Sewer System is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Defiance County, Ohio, serving a population of about 18,274. The plant is situated in the Maumee River watershed, which drains into Lake Erie, part of the Great Lakes system. As a medium-sized agglomeration, the facility plays a key role in protecting local water quality and public health. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, wastewater treatment plants of this scale are typically required to provide secondary treatment, which removes at least 85% of biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, governs discharge limits and monitoring requirements for the plant. Compliance with these regulations ensures that treated effluent meets water quality standards before release. The plant's discharge ultimately reaches the Maumee River, a major tributary of Lake Erie. The Maumee River basin is agriculturally intensive, and nutrient loading from wastewater and runoff contributes to algal blooms in Lake Erie. The plant's treatment processes are critical for reducing phosphorus and nitrogen inputs, helping to mitigate eutrophication and protect the lake's ecosystem, which supports diverse aquatic life and recreational activities.

The plant discharges into the Maumee River, which flows into Maumee Bay and then Lake Erie, the shallowest and most biologically productive of the Great Lakes. Lake Erie's western basin is particularly sensitive to nutrient pollution, leading to harmful algal blooms that affect drinking water, fisheries, and tourism. The plant's role in reducing nutrient loads is vital for maintaining the ecological health of this internationally important freshwater resource.