Overview
ESSEXVILLE STP serves 3,766 residents in Essexville, Michigan, with a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day. The plant discharges into the Saginaw River system, which flows into Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron.
ESSEXVILLE STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Essexville, Michigan, serving a population of approximately 3,766. The facility is situated in Bay County, near the eastern shore of Saginaw Bay, and operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which governs discharges through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The plant has a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day, reflecting its role in managing wastewater for a small community. As a small-scale treatment facility, ESSEXVILLE STP is expected to meet secondary treatment standards under the Clean Water Act, which require removal of at least 85% of biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids. The plant's treatment processes are designed to protect the receiving water body from excessive nutrient loading and pathogen contamination. The facility likely employs conventional activated sludge or lagoon systems common for plants of this size in the region. The treated effluent from ESSEXVILLE STP discharges into the Saginaw River watershed, which ultimately drains into Saginaw Bay, a shallow, nutrient-rich embayment of Lake Huron. This area is ecologically significant as it supports diverse aquatic life, including fish spawning grounds and migratory waterfowl. The plant's discharge contributes to the overall water quality management of the Saginaw Bay ecosystem, which is subject to periodic algal blooms and requires careful nutrient control.
Environmental context
ESSEXVILLE STP discharges into the Saginaw River, which flows into Saginaw Bay and then Lake Huron, part of the Great Lakes system. The Saginaw Bay watershed is a critical habitat for fish species such as walleye and yellow perch, and supports migratory birds along the Mississippi Flyway. Nutrient loading from wastewater and agricultural runoff has historically contributed to eutrophication and harmful algal blooms in the bay, making effective treatment essential for protecting this sensitive ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
ESSEXVILLE STP is located at 1230 Smith Street, Essexville, Michigan, in Bay County, United States.
ESSEXVILLE STP serves a population of approximately 3,766 residents in the Essexville area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the Saginaw River, which flows into Saginaw Bay and ultimately Lake Huron.
As a U.S. facility, ESSEXVILLE STP operates under the Clean Water Act and must comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
Plants of this size in the U.S. are typically required to provide secondary treatment, which removes at least 85% of biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids, to protect receiving water quality.
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