Elk Bend Sewer System - Lemhi County, Idaho Wastewater Treatment

Elk Bend Sewer System is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Lemhi County, Idaho, serving a small population of 255 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, ensuring effective removal of organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 83.28 units and discharges a similar volume of treated wastewater. As a US facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act, with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, which set effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, likely a tributary of the Salmon River, which flows into the Snake River and ultimately the Columbia River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional ecology and recreation.

The plant discharges into a local water body within the Salmon River basin, which drains into the Snake River and then the Columbia River, reaching the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports salmonid species and other aquatic life, making water quality protection critical. The surrounding area is rural with mountainous terrain, and the plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads to the downstream environment.