Elmore WWTP and Sewer System - Advanced Treatment Plant in Elmore, Ohio

Elmore WWTP and Sewer System is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Elmore, Ohio, United States. The plant serves a population of 1,426 residents in the village and surrounding areas, providing essential sanitation services for this small community in Ottawa County. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove additional pollutants such as nutrients. It has a designed capacity of 681.37 thousand gallons per day and currently discharges an average of 719.23 thousand gallons per day. As a US facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act, with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to regulate its discharges. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into Lake Erie via the Maumee River basin. Lake Erie is a vital freshwater resource that supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect this sensitive Great Lakes ecosystem from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Maumee River, which flows into Lake Erie, the shallowest and most biologically productive of the Great Lakes. Lake Erie's western basin is particularly sensitive to nutrient loading, which can cause harmful algal blooms. The advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce phosphorus and nitrogen inputs, supporting the health of the lake's fisheries and recreational uses.