FAIRFAX WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Fairfax, Iowa

FAIRFAX WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Fairfax, Iowa, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,000 residents in this small community within Linn County. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program governs its discharge, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The plant's designed capacity is 2,271.24 million gallons per year, with an actual discharge volume of 567.81 million gallons per year. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, which ultimately drains into the Mississippi River basin. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality in the region's rivers and streams, supporting aquatic life and recreational uses in the watershed.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Iowa River, which flows into the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic species and is an important migratory corridor for fish. The secondary treatment process reduces nutrient and organic loads, helping to prevent eutrophication in downstream water bodies.