Lena Wastewater Treat Wks - Advanced Treatment Facility in Lena, Illinois

Lena Wastewater Treat Wks is an advanced municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Lena, Illinois, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,887 residents, reflecting its role as a small-scale community infrastructure asset in Stephenson County. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 2,271.24 thousand cubic meters and an annual discharge volume of 870.65 thousand cubic meters, the facility operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, administered by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Plants of this scale are typically required to meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River basin. The plant's advanced treatment helps safeguard downstream aquatic ecosystems, including the Upper Mississippi River, which supports diverse fish and wildlife populations and serves as a critical migratory corridor for birds.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Pecatonica River, which flows into the Rock River and then the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River basin is a major ecological corridor supporting diverse aquatic life, including endangered species such as the pallid sturgeon. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for mitigating hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.