Elsie WWTP - Duplain Township, Michigan Wastewater Treatment Plant

Elsie WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Duplain Township, Clinton County, Michigan. The plant serves a small community of approximately 984 residents, providing essential wastewater treatment services for the area. The plant operates at the secondary treatment level, which is the standard requirement under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities of this scale. With a design capacity of 492.10 thousand gallons per day and a current discharge volume of 340.69 thousand gallons per day, the plant operates below its designed capacity, indicating adequate headroom for future growth. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Great Lakes basin, a vital freshwater resource. The plant's operations are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, ensuring compliance with water quality standards to protect downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Grand River, which flows into Lake Michigan, part of the Great Lakes system. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. The secondary treatment process reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.