MENLO WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Menlo, Iowa

MENLO WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Menlo, Iowa, within Guthrie County. Serving a population of 356, the plant provides secondary treatment to meet Clean Water Act standards. The facility's designed capacity is 136.27 units, with a discharge volume of 136.28 units, indicating near-full utilization. As a secondary treatment plant, MENLO WWTP employs biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. Under the US EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), the plant must comply with effluent limits set by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. For small communities like Menlo, secondary treatment is the standard requirement to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that drains into the Raccoon River watershed, part of the Mississippi River basin. This river system supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities. Proper treatment at MENLO WWTP helps prevent nutrient pollution and maintains the ecological health of the region's waterways.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Raccoon River, which flows into the Des Moines River and ultimately the Mississippi River. This watershed supports agricultural and ecological systems, and the plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads that could contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. The region's aquatic habitats rely on consistent water quality from upstream treatment facilities.