MONA Wastewater Treatment Plant, Nephi, Utah | Advanced Treatment Facility

MONA is a wastewater treatment facility located in Nephi, Juab County, Utah, United States. The plant serves a small population of approximately 1,547 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. It is situated inland, far from coastal areas, and operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, ensuring a high level of effluent quality before discharge. With a designed capacity of 1,892.70 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 643.52 million gallons per year, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. As a US-based plant, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, which set strict limits on pollutant discharges. The treated effluent from MONA is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Great Basin, a closed hydrological system with no outlet to the ocean. This makes water quality management particularly important, as pollutants can accumulate in the basin's terminal lakes and wetlands. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect the fragile desert ecosystem and supports local water reuse opportunities.

MONA discharges into the Great Basin, a closed drainage basin that includes the Sevier River system and ends in the Sevier Lake, a terminal saline lake. The region's arid climate means water resources are scarce, and the plant's advanced treatment helps maintain water quality in the basin. The Great Basin supports unique aquatic habitats, including wetlands that are critical for migratory birds and endemic fish species.