ST JOSEPH STP - St. Joseph, Illinois Wastewater Treatment Plant

ST JOSEPH STP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in St. Joseph, Illinois, a small community in Champaign County. The plant serves a population of about 2,912 people, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for this inland town. As a facility in the United States, it operates under the regulatory framework of the Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all discharges to surface waters. For a plant of this scale, typical treatment includes secondary biological processes to meet effluent limits set by the Illinois EPA. Plants serving populations under 10,000 often utilize lagoon systems, activated sludge, or trickling filters. The population served suggests a moderate-sized facility. The plant's treated effluent discharges to a local waterway, likely a tributary of the Salt Fork Vermilion River, which flows into the Vermilion River and eventually the Wabash River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is part of the larger Mississippi River basin. The plant's operation is critical for protecting local water quality and downstream ecosystems.

ST JOSEPH STP discharges into a tributary of the Salt Fork Vermilion River, which flows into the Vermilion River and then the Wabash River, a major tributary of the Ohio River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic species, including fish and macroinvertebrates, and provides habitat for migratory birds. The plant's effluent must meet state and federal water quality standards to protect these ecosystems from nutrient pollution and other contaminants.