Franklin S_T Facility - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Franklin, Idaho

The Franklin S_T Facility is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Franklin, Idaho, serving a small population of 641 residents. The plant operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal facilities to protect water quality. As a small-scale plant in a rural setting, it plays a key role in managing local wastewater and preventing pollution in the surrounding environment. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level that removes biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 1,287.04 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of 529.96 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well within its capacity. The plant is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, ensuring compliance with federal and state water quality standards. The treated effluent from the Franklin S_T Facility is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Bear River basin, which ultimately flows into the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The Bear River is an important ecological corridor supporting diverse aquatic life and migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality and the sensitive ecosystems of the Bear River and Great Salt Lake.

The Franklin S_T Facility discharges into local streams that are part of the Bear River watershed. The Bear River flows through Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming before terminating in the Great Salt Lake, a terminal saline lake of ecological significance. The river supports diverse aquatic species and provides critical habitat for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads, protecting the downstream aquatic environment and the unique ecosystem of the Great Salt Lake.