POPLAR STP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Poplar, Wisconsin

POPLAR STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Poplar, Douglas County, Wisconsin, serving a population of 561. The plant is situated near Lake Superior, approximately 10 km from the coast, and is part of the region's water infrastructure. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, exceeding the secondary treatment standard required by the US Clean Water Act. With a designed capacity of 140.06 million gallons per year and an annual discharge volume of 128.70 million gallons, it operates at high utilization. As a US facility, it is regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a receiving water body that ultimately flows into Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions. The plant's advanced treatment helps minimize nutrient and pollutant loading, contributing to the ecological health of the lake and its tributaries.

POPLAR STP discharges into a water body that drains into Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. The Lake Superior basin is ecologically sensitive, supporting cold-water fish species like lake trout and whitefish, and is a critical resource for regional water supply. The plant's advanced treatment reduces the risk of eutrophication and protects downstream habitats.