Freeburg East No 1 Wastewater Treatment Plant - Freeburg, Illinois

Freeburg East No 1 is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located at 978 South State Street in Freeburg, Illinois. The facility serves a population of approximately 1,269 residents in this St. Clair County community, providing essential sanitation infrastructure for the area. The plant operates at the secondary treatment level, which is the standard required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 1,173.47 volume units and an average discharge volume of 454.25 units, the plant maintains a moderate utilization rate. As a US facility, it operates under an EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated wastewater from Freeburg East No 1 is discharged into local streams that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River basin. This region is part of the larger Mississippi River watershed, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions downstream. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge, contributing to the ecological health of the receiving waters.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic species and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The Mississippi River basin faces challenges from nutrient pollution, and secondary treatment helps reduce the plant's contribution to downstream eutrophication.