SCHLESWIG STL Wastewater Treatment Plant, Schleswig, Iowa

SCHLESWIG STL is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Schleswig, Iowa, serving a population of approximately 882 residents. The plant is situated in Crawford County, near the Schleswig Community Golf Club, and is part of the state's wastewater infrastructure for small communities. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 685.16 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 670.02 million gallons per year, the facility operates near its capacity. The plant is regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Missouri River basin. This region is part of the larger Mississippi River watershed, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural and recreational uses. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality by reducing organic pollutants and suspended solids.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports agricultural runoff and small streams that provide habitat for fish and wildlife. Secondary treatment reduces biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids, helping to maintain the ecological health of the receiving waters.