Sherrill East WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Sherrill, Iowa

Sherrill East WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Sherrill, Dubuque County, Iowa. Serving a small population of 186 residents, the plant provides secondary treatment to meet Clean Water Act standards. The facility operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which regulates discharges to surface waters. The plant has a designed capacity of 41.64 million gallons per day and currently discharges a similar volume, indicating full utilization. As a secondary treatment plant, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, achieving effluent quality suitable for discharge into receiving waters. The treated effluent from Sherrill East WWTP flows into local streams that are part of the Mississippi River basin. The Mississippi River downstream supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for communities. The plant's discharge is regulated to protect water quality and aquatic habitats in this ecologically significant watershed.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River basin is a major ecological corridor supporting fish, migratory birds, and freshwater mussels. Downstream, the river's nutrient load contributes to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, making nutrient management important for plants in this watershed.