NEW LOTHROP WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Hazelton Township, Michigan

NEW LOTHROP WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Hazelton Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan. The plant serves a small population of 586 residents and operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal discharges. As a small facility, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 264.98 thousand gallons per day and an average discharge volume of 302.83 thousand gallons per day, the facility operates near its capacity. The treatment process ensures that effluent meets water quality standards before discharge. Treated wastewater from the plant is discharged into local streams that flow into the Shiawassee River, a tributary of the Saginaw River system, which ultimately drains into Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Shiawassee River watershed, which supports diverse aquatic life and recreational uses.

The plant discharges into local waterways that feed the Shiawassee River, part of the Saginaw River basin draining into Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. This watershed supports a variety of fish species and provides habitat for migratory birds. The secondary treatment process helps reduce nutrient loading, protecting downstream ecosystems from eutrophication.