Santa Fernwood S_T Facility | Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Santa, Idaho

The Santa Fernwood S_T Facility is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Santa, Benewah County, Idaho. Serving a small population of 584 residents, the plant provides secondary treatment to meet state and federal water quality standards. Its designed capacity is 757.08 m³/day, with an average daily discharge of 681.37 m³/day. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. It operates under the US Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for discharges into surface waters. For small communities like Santa, secondary treatment is the standard to protect downstream water quality. The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the St. Joe River, a tributary of the Coeur d'Alene River, which eventually reaches the Spokane River and the Columbia River basin. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional ecology and recreation.

The treated effluent from the Santa Fernwood S_T Facility enters local waterways that drain into the St. Joe River, then the Coeur d'Alene River, and ultimately the Spokane River and Columbia River basin. This watershed supports cold-water fisheries and provides habitat for species such as trout and salmon. The region's forested landscape and seasonal runoff patterns require careful management to prevent nutrient loading and maintain water quality.