Overview
Petersburg STP is a secondary wastewater treatment plant serving approximately 2,973 people in Petersburg, Illinois. It discharges an average of 681,370 gallons per day into the local watershed.
Petersburg STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located at 210 West Sheridan Road in Petersburg, Illinois. The plant serves a population of about 2,973 residents in the Menard County area, providing secondary treatment to meet Clean Water Act standards. The plant has a designed capacity of 1,135,620 gallons per day and currently treats an average daily flow of 681,370 gallons. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. Under the U.S. EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), plants of this scale are required to meet effluent limits for BOD, TSS, and other parameters to protect water quality. The treated effluent from Petersburg STP is discharged to a receiving water body that ultimately drains into the Illinois River basin. The Illinois River flows southwest to join the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish and waterfowl.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a tributary of the Illinois River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico. The Illinois River watershed supports diverse aquatic habitats, including backwater lakes and wetlands that provide critical spawning and nursery areas for fish. Downstream ecosystems benefit from the plant's secondary treatment, which reduces nutrient and organic loads that could otherwise contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf.
Frequently asked questions
Petersburg STP is located at 210 West Sheridan Road in Petersburg, Illinois, United States.
The plant serves approximately 2,973 residents in the Petersburg area of Menard County, Illinois.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local waterway that drains into the Illinois River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
Petersburg STP provides secondary treatment, which uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting Clean Water Act requirements.
As a municipal wastewater plant in the United States, Petersburg STP operates under an EPA NPDES permit that sets effluent limits for pollutants to protect receiving water quality. Secondary treatment is the minimum standard for such facilities.
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