North Shore SD Clavey Rd Plant - Highland Park, Illinois Wastewater Treatment

The North Shore SD Clavey Rd Plant is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Highland Park, Illinois, within Lake County. It serves a population of about 55,735 people, classifying it as a medium-to-large agglomeration under U.S. regulatory frameworks. The plant is situated near the western shore of Lake Michigan, part of the Great Lakes Basin. As a U.S. facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. EPA and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits govern its discharge limits, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. For a plant serving this population size, secondary treatment is typically required, with possible additional nutrient removal to protect sensitive receiving waters. The plant's treated effluent ultimately reaches Lake Michigan, a vital freshwater resource that supplies drinking water to millions and supports diverse aquatic life. The lake is part of the Great Lakes system, which drains into the St. Lawrence River and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. Protecting Lake Michigan from nutrient pollution and pathogens is critical for ecosystem health and human use.

The plant discharges into the Lake Michigan watershed, part of the Great Lakes Basin, which drains via the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean. Lake Michigan is a large freshwater lake supporting diverse fish populations, including lake trout and whitefish, and serves as a critical migratory stopover for birds. The region's coastal wetlands and nearshore zones are sensitive to nutrient loading, which can cause algal blooms and hypoxia, making advanced treatment important for ecological balance.