GREENLAND TWP STP - Greenland Township, Michigan Wastewater Treatment Plant

GREENLAND TWP STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on Depot Road in Mass City, Greenland Township, Ontonagon County, Michigan. The plant serves a small population of 758 residents in this rural Upper Peninsula community. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, administered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required for municipal facilities under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. With a designed capacity of 567.81 volume units and an average daily discharge of 454.25 volume units, the facility operates below its capacity. The plant's discharge volume and treatment level are consistent with expectations for a small agglomeration in this region. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes. Lake Superior is a critical freshwater resource supporting diverse aquatic life, including lake trout, whitefish, and other native species. The plant's location within 50 km of the Lake Superior coast underscores the importance of maintaining high treatment standards to protect this sensitive ecosystem.

The plant discharges into a local stream or river that flows into Lake Superior, part of the Great Lakes Basin. Lake Superior is a vast freshwater ecosystem with significant ecological value, supporting cold-water fish species and serving as a vital water resource. The surrounding watershed includes forested areas and wetlands that help filter runoff, but the plant's effluent must meet strict state and federal standards to prevent nutrient loading and protect water quality in this sensitive Great Lakes environment.