RICHLAND TWP STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Richland Township, Michigan

RICHLAND TWP STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. It serves a population of approximately 1,515 residents, classifying it as a small community facility within the state's wastewater infrastructure. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for most municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 378.54 m³/day and a discharge volume matching that figure, the plant operates at full capacity. As a US facility, it operates under an EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), ensuring compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged to a local water body that ultimately drains into the Saginaw River watershed and then into Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron. This makes the plant's performance important for protecting the Great Lakes ecosystem, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Saginaw River, which flows into Saginaw Bay, part of Lake Huron. This watershed supports diverse aquatic species and is an important migratory corridor for fish. The Great Lakes ecosystem is sensitive to nutrient pollution, making secondary treatment crucial for controlling phosphorus and nitrogen loads that could contribute to algal blooms.