Stanwood WWTP - Wastewater Treatment Plant in Stanwood, Iowa, United States

Stanwood WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located at 328 1st Avenue in Stanwood, Iowa, serving a population of approximately 680 residents. The plant operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires wastewater treatment plants to obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. For small communities like Stanwood, secondary treatment is typically mandated to protect water quality. However, under the Clean Water Act, facilities serving populations under 10,000 are generally required to meet secondary treatment standards, which remove at least 85% of biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids. The population served of 680 suggests a small-scale facility. The treated effluent from Stanwood WWTP is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Mississippi River basin. The Mississippi River is a major ecological and economic resource, supporting diverse aquatic life and providing drinking water for millions. The plant's discharge contributes to the overall water quality management in the region, with downstream impacts on the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.

Stanwood WWTP discharges into a local stream that is part of the Mississippi River basin. The Mississippi River flows southward through the United States, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The river supports a wide range of aquatic species and is an important migratory corridor for birds and fish. The plant's effluent must meet state and federal water quality standards to protect downstream ecosystems, including nutrient-sensitive areas in the Gulf that experience seasonal hypoxia.