PATOKA LAKE RWSD WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Dubois, Indiana

PATOKA LAKE RWSD WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Dubois, Indiana, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,503 people and operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all discharges into surface waters. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for facilities of this size in the United States. With a designed capacity of 2,649.78 m³/day and an average daily discharge of 378.54 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variability. The treated effluent is discharged into a receiving water body within the Wabash River basin, which ultimately flows into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for downstream communities, making proper treatment essential for environmental health.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Wabash River, which flows into the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife species, including several state-listed species of concern. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads that could contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.