NICHOLS WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Town of Cicero, Wisconsin

NICHOLS WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on County Road F in the Town of Cicero, Outagamie County, Wisconsin. The plant serves a small population of 275 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community within the Fox River watershed. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 90.85 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 105.99 million gallons per year, the facility operates within its capacity. As a US plant, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Fox River and then into Green Bay, part of the Lake Michigan basin. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is important for recreational fishing and wildlife habitat. The plant's location more than 10 km from the coast reduces direct marine impact, but its discharge contributes to the overall health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

NICHOLS WWTP discharges into the Fox River watershed, which flows into Green Bay and then Lake Michigan. The receiving waters support a variety of fish species and migratory birds, making the area ecologically sensitive. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing algal blooms in the Great Lakes.