Elk Run Heights STP - Evansdale, Iowa Wastewater Treatment Plant

Elk Run Heights STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Evansdale, Iowa, within Black Hawk County. The plant serves a population of about 2,000 residents, providing secondary treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater. As a smaller-scale facility, it plays a key role in protecting local water quality in the Cedar River basin. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. Its designed capacity is 783.58 thousand gallons per day, with an average discharge volume of 681.37 thousand gallons per day, indicating efficient utilization. The facility is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, ensuring compliance with effluent limits. Treated effluent from the plant is discharged into nearby streams that flow into the Cedar River, a tributary of the Iowa River, which ultimately reaches the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides recreational opportunities. The plant's operations help maintain water quality in this ecologically important river system.

The plant discharges into local waterways that drain into the Cedar River, a major tributary of the Iowa River, which flows to the Mississippi River. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife species, including freshwater mussels and migratory birds. The Cedar River basin is ecologically sensitive, with efforts to reduce nutrient pollution and protect aquatic habitats.