Overview
Springfield Metro SD Sugar Creek serves approximately 74,445 people in Sangamon County, Illinois. The plant operates under the U. S. Clean Water Act and EPA NPDES permitting framework.
Springfield Metro SD Sugar Creek is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located at 286 Hankins Road in Sangamon County, Illinois, serving an estimated population of 74,445. The facility is part of the region's wastewater infrastructure, managed by the Springfield Metro Sanitary District. Under the U. S. Clean Water Act, plants of this scale are typically required to meet secondary treatment standards through an EPA NPDES permit issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The permit sets effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and other parameters to protect water quality. The plant discharges into Sugar Creek, a tributary of the Sangamon River, which flows into the Illinois River and ultimately the Mississippi River. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is an important part of the Mississippi River basin ecosystem.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into Sugar Creek, which flows into the Sangamon River, then the Illinois River, and finally the Mississippi River. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife species and is part of a larger river system that drains much of the central United States. The ecological health of Sugar Creek is influenced by nutrient and pollutant loads from upstream sources, making treatment performance critical for downstream water quality.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located at 286 Hankins Road in Sangamon County, Illinois, United States.
The plant serves approximately 74,445 people in the Springfield metropolitan area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into Sugar Creek, a tributary of the Sangamon River, which flows into the Illinois River and then the Mississippi River.
The plant operates under the U. S. Clean Water Act and is subject to an EPA NPDES permit issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality.
Plants of this scale typically provide secondary treatment, including biological processes like activated sludge, to meet EPA standards for biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids.
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