Floodwood WWTR TRTMT WKS Wastewater Treatment Plant, Floodwood, Minnesota

Floodwood WWTR TRTMT WKS is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Floodwood, Minnesota, United States. The plant serves a small population of 533 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community within Saint Louis County. Its location in the northern Midwest places it within a region characterized by cold winters and forested landscapes. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level of purification that removes biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 401.25 volume units and a similar discharge volume, the facility operates at full capacity to meet local needs. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, such plants are regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the St. Louis River and ultimately into Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes. This connection to a major freshwater ecosystem underscores the plant's role in protecting downstream water quality and aquatic habitats. The facility's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and supports the ecological health of the region.

The plant discharges into the St. Louis River watershed, which flows into Lake Superior, a vital freshwater resource. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as walleye and lake trout, and is an important migratory corridor for birds. Secondary treatment helps mitigate nutrient pollution, protecting the lake's sensitive ecosystem from eutrophication.