ELWOOD Wastewater Treatment Plant, Box Elder County, Utah | Advanced Treatment

ELWOOD is a wastewater treatment plant located in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. It serves a small population of 1,034 residents, providing advanced treatment to protect local water quality. The plant is situated inland, more than 10 kilometers from the coast, and operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. It has a designed capacity of 416.39 million gallons and discharges 340.69 million gallons of treated wastewater annually. As a small facility, it is subject to EPA NPDES permitting requirements, typically administered by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that drains into the Great Salt Lake watershed. The Great Salt Lake is a unique hypersaline lake and a critical habitat for migratory birds and brine shrimp. Advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading and protects the ecological balance of this sensitive terminal basin.

The plant discharges into a water body within the Great Salt Lake basin, a terminal lake with no outlet. The lake supports a unique ecosystem, including brine shrimp and millions of migratory birds. Advanced treatment reduces nutrient inputs, helping to prevent algal blooms and maintain water quality in this ecologically sensitive watershed.