HARTFORD STL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hartford, Iowa

HARTFORD STL is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Hartford, Iowa, United States. The plant serves a small population of 768 residents in the Richland Township area of Warren County. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater before discharge. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 984.20 and an average daily discharge of 492.10, the plant operates at approximately 50% capacity. The U.S. EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program governs its discharge, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Mississippi River basin. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality in Iowa's agricultural landscape, reducing nutrient and pathogen loads that could impact aquatic ecosystems and drinking water sources.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Des Moines River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a region affected by agricultural runoff. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient pollution, which is critical for mitigating hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.