FONTANELLE STL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Adair County, Iowa

FONTANELLE STL is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Adair County, Iowa, United States. The plant serves a small population of 672 residents, providing secondary treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from domestic wastewater. With a designed capacity of 227.12 thousand cubic meters per year and an average discharge volume of 215.77 thousand cubic meters per year, the plant operates at a high utilization rate. As a US facility, it is regulated under the Clean Water Act and operates under an NPDES permit issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, ensuring compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Middle Raccoon River, a tributary of the Des Moines River, which ultimately flows into the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities, making proper treatment essential for environmental and public health.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Middle Raccoon River watershed, which flows into the Des Moines River and then the Mississippi River. This river system supports a variety of fish and wildlife species and is an important water resource for the region. The secondary treatment process helps protect downstream water quality by reducing nutrient and pollutant loads.