GAGETOWN STP - Elmwood Township, Michigan Wastewater Treatment Plant

GAGETOWN STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on McEldowney Road in Elmwood Township, Tuscola County, Michigan. The plant serves a small population of 371 residents and operates under secondary treatment standards, which is the minimum required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal plants. The plant has a designed capacity of 264.98 million gallons per year and currently discharges 113.56 million gallons annually. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant is regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program administered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into Lake Huron via the Saginaw Bay watershed. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Saginaw Bay ecosystem, which supports diverse aquatic life and recreational activities. Its location in a rural agricultural area means it also helps manage nutrient loads that could otherwise contribute to algal blooms in the Great Lakes.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Saginaw River, which flows into Saginaw Bay and then Lake Huron. The Saginaw Bay watershed is ecologically significant, supporting fisheries, waterfowl, and aquatic habitats. Nutrient management is critical in this region to prevent eutrophication and harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes.