Overview
Ricketts STP is a secondary wastewater treatment plant serving the small community of Ricketts, Iowa. It discharges 22.71 million gallons per year and has a designed capacity of 53.00 million gallons.
Ricketts STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Ricketts, Iowa, a small town in Crawford County. The plant serves a population of approximately 105 residents, reflecting its role in managing wastewater for a rural community in the Midwestern United States. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 53.00 million gallons and an annual discharge volume of 22.71 million gallons, the plant operates well within its capacity. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources oversee permitting and compliance under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Missouri River watershed, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in protecting local water quality and supporting the ecological health of the region's streams and rivers.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters small streams in the Missouri River basin, which flows into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a larger ecosystem that includes important migratory bird routes and fish habitats. The secondary treatment process helps reduce nutrient loads, which is critical for mitigating downstream hypoxia in the Gulf.
Frequently asked questions
Ricketts STP is located on G Avenue in Ricketts, Iowa, within Crawford County, United States.
The plant serves a population of 105 residents in the small town of Ricketts, Iowa.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local streams that are part of the Missouri River watershed, which ultimately flows to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
Ricketts STP provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater plants.
As a municipal plant in the United States, Ricketts STP operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which sets discharge limits and monitoring requirements to protect water quality.
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