James C Kirie WRP - Des Plaines, Illinois Wastewater Treatment Plant

James C Kirie WRP is a major wastewater treatment facility located in Des Plaines, Illinois, serving a population of approximately 287,890 in the Chicago metropolitan area. The plant is situated in Cook County and plays a critical role in managing municipal wastewater for this densely populated suburban region. As a large agglomeration serving over 150,000 people, the plant is expected to provide at least secondary treatment under the US Clean Water Act. The facility's designed capacity is 1.00 million gallons per day, and it operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The plant discharges treated effluent into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Mississippi River basin via the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. This connection links the plant's operations to the broader Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, where nutrient management is a key environmental concern.

The plant's treated effluent flows into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, a man-made waterway that connects the Chicago River to the Des Plaines River and ultimately the Mississippi River. This drainage system is part of the larger Mississippi River basin, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. The region's aquatic ecosystems support diverse fish and wildlife, and nutrient loading from wastewater can contribute to hypoxic zones downstream, making advanced treatment important for ecological health.