Lost Nation STL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Clinton County, Iowa

Lost Nation STL is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The facility serves a small population of 467 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. The plant is situated in the Midwestern region, characterized by agricultural landscapes and inland waterways. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level of purification that removes biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 302.83 megaliters and an annual discharge volume of 189.27 megaliters, the facility operates below its capacity. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, such plants are regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, which set effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River basin. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a larger watershed that flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations contribute to maintaining the ecological health of these receiving waters by reducing pollutant loads.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports agricultural runoff and natural habitats, making nutrient management critical. Downstream, the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico face challenges such as hypoxia, highlighting the importance of effective wastewater treatment in this region.