LESTER STL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Lester, Iowa

LESTER STL is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Lester, Iowa, a small community in Lyon County. The plant serves a population of 257 residents, reflecting its role in managing local wastewater for a rural agglomeration. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the US Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. It has a designed capacity of 113.56 megaliters and an annual discharge volume of 68.14 megaliters, indicating moderate capacity utilization. As a US facility, it operates under an EPA NPDES permit issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, ensuring compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, ultimately contributing to the Missouri River basin. The plant's operations help protect downstream water quality and aquatic ecosystems in the region.

The plant discharges into a local watercourse that drains into the Missouri River basin, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a larger watershed that provides habitat for fish and migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and protect water quality in this inland river system.