Hancock WWTP - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Hancock, Wisconsin

Hancock WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Hancock, Waushara County, Wisconsin. The plant serves a small population of 480 residents, reflecting the rural character of the area. It operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 253.62 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 105.99 million gallons per year, the facility operates well below its capacity. The plant is permitted under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), administered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Fox River basin and then to Lake Michigan. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality in this agriculturally intensive region of central Wisconsin, helping to prevent nutrient pollution and maintain aquatic habitat.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Fox River, which flows into Lake Michigan via Green Bay. The Fox River watershed is heavily agricultural, contributing nutrient runoff that can lead to algal blooms in Lake Michigan. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and nutrients, helping to mitigate eutrophication risks in the downstream Great Lakes ecosystem.