Garfield Bay Sewer System - Garfield, Idaho Wastewater Treatment Plant

The Garfield Bay Sewer System is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Garfield, Bonner County, Idaho. Serving a small population of 564 residents, the plant provides secondary treatment to manage domestic wastewater from the community. As a facility in the inland Pacific Northwest, it plays a key role in protecting local water resources. Operating under the U.S. Clean Water Act, the plant is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets effluent limits to safeguard receiving waters. With a designed capacity of 189.27 million gallons per day and a current discharge volume of 71.92 million gallons per day, the plant operates well within its capacity, indicating effective management of local wastewater flows. The treated effluent from the Garfield Bay Sewer System is discharged into the surrounding watershed, which ultimately drains into Lake Pend Oreille, one of the deepest and most ecologically significant lakes in Idaho. This lake supports diverse aquatic life and provides critical habitat for native fish species. The plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality in this sensitive freshwater ecosystem.

The Garfield Bay Sewer System discharges into the local watershed that feeds Lake Pend Oreille, a large, deep lake in northern Idaho. Lake Pend Oreille is part of the Pend Oreille River system, which flows into the Columbia River and eventually the Pacific Ocean. The lake supports a rich aquatic ecosystem, including native trout and salmon species, and is an important recreational resource. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect this downstream environment from nutrient pollution and pathogens.