Emerald Glenwood SD STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Town of Emerald, Wisconsin

Emerald Glenwood SD STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in the Town of Emerald, Saint Croix County, Wisconsin. The plant serves a small population of 110 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. It operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for all publicly owned treatment works. The plant has a designed capacity of 49.21 thousand gallons per day and currently discharges an average of 30.28 thousand gallons per day. As a secondary treatment facility, it provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting the national standards for discharge into surface waters. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that are part of the St. Croix River watershed, which ultimately flows into the Mississippi River. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor. The plant's operation helps protect water quality in the sensitive St. Croix River basin.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the St. Croix River, a National Scenic Riverway that flows into the Mississippi River. The St. Croix basin supports diverse fish populations and migratory birds. Downstream, the Mississippi River carries the water to the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient loading can contribute to hypoxic zones. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and helps maintain the ecological health of these waters.