Lake Santee RWWD Wastewater Treatment Plant, Decatur County, Indiana

Lake Santee RWWD is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Decatur County, Indiana, serving a small community of approximately 1,450 residents. The facility is situated in a rural area of the state, providing essential sanitation services to the Lake Santee community. The plant operates at the secondary treatment level, which is the minimum standard required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 378.54 cubic meters per day and a matching discharge volume, the plant is operating at full capacity. Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), plants of this scale must meet effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River basin. The plant's operations help protect downstream water quality in the region's streams and rivers, which support aquatic life and recreational uses common in southern Indiana.

The plant discharges into local tributaries that flow into the East Fork White River, part of the larger Mississippi River watershed. This region features mixed agricultural and forested landscapes, and the receiving waters support diverse fish populations and provide habitat for aquatic species. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient enrichment and maintain water quality in downstream lakes and rivers.