Francis Creek WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Town of Kossuth, Wisconsin

Francis Creek WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in the Town of Kossuth, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The plant serves a small population of 718 residents and operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard for many smaller communities under the U.S. Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 264.98 million gallons per day and a current discharge volume of 189.27 million gallons per day, indicating it operates below its capacity. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting the national effluent guidelines for secondary treatment established by the EPA. The plant is situated within 10 km of the Lake Michigan coastline, making its discharge potentially influential on the nearshore environment. The treated effluent likely flows into a local tributary or directly into Lake Michigan, which is part of the Great Lakes system. Lake Michigan supports diverse aquatic life and is a critical freshwater resource for the region, requiring careful management of nutrient and pollutant loads.

The plant discharges into the Lake Michigan watershed, which ultimately drains into the Great Lakes system and the St. Lawrence River. Lake Michigan is a large freshwater lake that supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish populations and migratory birds. The nearshore zone is sensitive to nutrient inputs, which can lead to algal blooms and affect water quality. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants, but nutrient removal may be limited without tertiary processes.