Juliaetta STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Juliaetta, Idaho

Juliaetta STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Juliaetta, Latah County, Idaho, serving a population of about 579 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for small communities to protect water quality. With a designed capacity of 302,830 gallons per day and an average daily flow of 147,630 gallons, the plant operates well within its capacity. As a small facility, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets effluent limits to safeguard receiving waters. The plant discharges treated wastewater into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Potlatch River, a tributary of the Clearwater River, which flows into the Snake River and then the Columbia River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional salmon and steelhead habitats.

The treated effluent from Juliaetta STP enters a small stream that feeds into the Potlatch River, part of the Clearwater-Snake-Columbia river system. This watershed is ecologically significant as it provides critical habitat for anadromous fish species such as Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, which migrate through the Columbia River basin. Protecting water quality in this system is essential for maintaining healthy fish populations and overall aquatic biodiversity.