Overview
OELWEIN STP serves the city of Oelwein, Iowa, treating wastewater for approximately 6,700 residents. The plant discharges into local waterways within the Upper Mississippi River Basin.
OELWEIN STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Oelwein, Fayette County, Iowa. Serving a population of around 6,700, the facility is part of the city's infrastructure managed under the U.S. Clean Water Act framework. As a plant serving a small agglomeration, OELWEIN STP is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting requirements enforced by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Typical treatment for communities of this size includes secondary treatment processes to meet effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids. The plant's treated effluent is discharged to a receiving water body within the Upper Mississippi River Basin, which ultimately drains to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds and fish species.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, a major watershed draining into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. This region supports diverse aquatic ecosystems and is important for migratory waterfowl and fish species. The plant's operations help protect downstream water quality in this ecologically sensitive basin.
Frequently asked questions
OELWEIN STP is located at 7th Avenue Southwest in Oelwein, Fayette County, Iowa, United States.
The plant serves approximately 6,733 residents in the city of Oelwein.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local receiving water body within the Upper Mississippi River Basin, which ultimately flows to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
As a U.S. facility, OELWEIN STP operates under the Clean Water Act, with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
For small agglomerations of this size, typical treatment includes secondary biological processes such as activated sludge or trickling filters to meet EPA effluent standards for BOD and TSS.
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