Pigeon Falls WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Pigeon Falls, Wisconsin

Pigeon Falls WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Pigeon Falls, Wisconsin, United States. The facility serves a small population of 454 residents, reflecting the rural character of the Trempealeau County area. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater before discharge. The plant has a designed capacity of 189.27 megaliters per year and currently treats an annual volume of 113.56 megaliters, indicating operational headroom. Under the US Clean Water Act, facilities of this scale are typically regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which set effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Mississippi River basin, ultimately reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems from nutrient pollution and pathogens, supporting the ecological health of the Upper Mississippi River watershed.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish and migratory birds, and is part of a larger basin that experiences seasonal nutrient loading. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and nutrients, mitigating eutrophication risks in downstream waters.