Gillett WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Gillett, Wisconsin

Gillett WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Gillett, Wisconsin, United States. The facility serves a population of 1,380 and operates under secondary treatment standards, as required by the US Clean Water Act for smaller communities. The plant is situated inland, more than 10 kilometers from the coast, but within 50 kilometers of Lake Michigan. The plant provides secondary treatment, which typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 1,268.11 thousand cubic meters and an annual discharge volume of 514.82 thousand cubic meters, the facility operates well below its capacity. Under the US Clean Water Act, such plants are regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The treated effluent from Gillett WWTP is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into Lake Michigan, part of the Great Lakes system. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the region's rivers and the lake, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions.

Gillett WWTP discharges into the Oconto River watershed, which flows into Green Bay and then Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is a vital freshwater resource supporting diverse fish populations, including lake trout and whitefish, and serves as a major drinking water source. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads that could otherwise contribute to algal blooms in the bay and lake.