OWENDALE WWSL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Brookfield Township, Michigan

OWENDALE WWSL is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Brookfield Township, Huron County, Michigan, United States. The plant serves a small population of 269 residents and operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard minimum for domestic wastewater under the U.S. Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 189.27 units and currently discharges 75.71 units of treated effluent. As a secondary treatment facility, it meets the regulatory requirements for biological oxygen demand and total suspended solids removal, ensuring compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes. The plant's proximity to the coast (within 10 km) means its discharge can affect the sensitive coastal ecosystem of Lake Huron, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions.

The plant discharges into a tributary of Lake Huron, a major Great Lake that drains into the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, and the Detroit River before reaching Lake Erie. Lake Huron's coastal zone is ecologically sensitive, supporting fish spawning habitats and migratory bird routes. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing algal blooms in the Great Lakes.