Harcourt WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Webster County, Iowa

Harcourt WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Webster County, Iowa, United States. The plant serves a small population of 341 residents and operates under secondary treatment standards, which is the minimum required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. The facility is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its treated effluent is discharged into local waterways. As a secondary treatment plant, Harcourt WWTP uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a design capacity of 170.34 million gallons per year and currently discharges 94.64 million gallons per year, indicating it operates below its full capacity. Under the US Clean Water Act, the plant is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, which set limits on effluent quality to protect receiving waters. The plant's discharge ultimately flows into the Des Moines River basin, which drains into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional agriculture and recreation. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads that could contribute to downstream eutrophication in the Gulf of Mexico.

Harcourt WWTP discharges into local streams that are part of the Des Moines River watershed, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic species and are used for recreation and agriculture. The plant's secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping to maintain water quality in this inland basin.