DRAIN STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Drain, Oregon

DRAIN STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Drain, Oregon, a small community in Douglas County. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,151 residents, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for this rural area. 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 1,135.62 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 526.17 million gallons per year, the plant operates well within its capacity. As a U.S. facility, it operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, ensuring compliance with federal and state water quality standards. The treated effluent from DRAIN STP is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Umpqua River basin, which flows to the Pacific Ocean. The plant's operations help protect the water quality of downstream ecosystems, including aquatic habitats in the Umpqua River and its tributaries.

DRAIN STP discharges into a receiving water body within the Umpqua River basin, which flows westward to the Pacific Ocean. The Umpqua River supports diverse aquatic life, including salmon and steelhead trout, making water quality protection critical. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping maintain the ecological health of the downstream river system and coastal waters.