Lorain Co Cresthaven WWTP - Advanced Treatment in Lorain County, Ohio

Lorain Co Cresthaven WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Elyria Township, Lorain County, Ohio. The plant serves a small population of 824 residents, providing advanced treatment to protect local water quality. Its location near the southern shore of Lake Erie places it in a sensitive coastal environment. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 302.83 cubic meters per day and a discharge volume of 249.84 cubic meters per day, it operates below its capacity. Under the US Clean Water Act, facilities of this scale are regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Treated effluent from the plant ultimately reaches Lake Erie, the fourth-largest of the Great Lakes and a critical freshwater resource. Lake Erie supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. The plant's advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is vital for controlling harmful algal blooms in the lake's western basin.

The plant discharges into the Lake Erie watershed, with treated effluent flowing through local tributaries to the lake. Lake Erie is a major freshwater ecosystem that supports commercial and recreational fisheries, including walleye and yellow perch. The lake's western basin is particularly sensitive to nutrient pollution, making advanced treatment important for protecting water quality and aquatic habitats.