Overview
St Croix Valley WWTF MCES serves Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, treating wastewater for approximately 23,000 people. The plant discharges into the St. Croix River, a tributary of the Mississippi River.
St Croix Valley WWTF MCES is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, United States. It serves a population of around 23,016, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under US regulatory frameworks. The plant is part of the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) system, which manages wastewater treatment across the Twin Cities metropolitan area. As a US facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. For a plant serving over 10,000 people, secondary treatment is required as a minimum standard. It is expected to meet these federal and state requirements. The treated effluent from St Croix Valley WWTF is discharged into the St. Croix River, a National Scenic Riverway that flows into the Mississippi River near Prescott, Wisconsin. The St. Croix River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important recreational and ecological resource. The plant's operations are critical to protecting water quality in this sensitive river system.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the St. Croix River, which flows southward to join the Mississippi River near Prescott, Wisconsin. The St. Croix River is a designated National Scenic Riverway, supporting diverse fish populations and migratory birds. Downstream, the Mississippi River carries the combined flows to the Gulf of Mexico, making nutrient management important for preventing hypoxia in the Gulf.
Frequently asked questions
St Croix Valley WWTF MCES is located in Oak Park Heights, Washington County, Minnesota, United States, near the St. Croix River.
The plant serves approximately 23,016 people, classifying it as a medium-sized municipal wastewater treatment facility.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the St. Croix River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico.
As a US facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is regulated by an NPDES permit issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, requiring secondary treatment as a minimum.
Plants of this size in Minnesota typically provide secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting state and federal standards.
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