Overview
Lake Co Rio Grande WWTP is an advanced treatment plant in Lake County, Ohio, serving 172 people. It discharges treated wastewater near the Lake Erie coast, operating under U.S. EPA NPDES regulations.
Lake Co Rio Grande WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Lake County, Ohio, within the Great Lakes Basin. The plant serves a small population of 172 residents and provides advanced treatment, which exceeds the secondary treatment standard typically required for facilities of this size under the U.S. Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 83.28 million gallons per day and currently discharges 41.64 million gallons per day, indicating significant reserve capacity. As a U.S. facility, it operates under an EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a receiving water body that ultimately flows into Lake Erie, part of the Great Lakes system. Lake Erie supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. The plant's advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing harmful algal blooms in the lake.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a tributary of the Grand River, which flows north into Lake Erie, the shallowest and most biologically productive of the Great Lakes. Lake Erie's central basin experiences seasonal hypoxia, and the western basin is prone to harmful algal blooms driven by phosphorus inputs. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient pollution, protecting downstream aquatic habitats and recreational uses.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located on Golf Drive in Painesville Township, Lake County, Ohio, United States, near the southern shore of Lake Erie.
The plant serves a population of 172 people, making it a small-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local waterway that drains into the Grand River and ultimately into Lake Erie, part of the Great Lakes system.
The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond the secondary treatment standard required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for most municipal plants.
As a U.S. facility, it operates under an EPA NPDES permit issued by the Ohio EPA, which sets limits on pollutants to protect Lake Erie water quality.
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