Swisher WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Swisher, Iowa

Swisher WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Swisher, Johnson County, Iowa. Serving a population of around 900, the plant is part of the community's essential infrastructure for managing domestic wastewater. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process for removing organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 1,703.43 cubic meters per day and an average discharge volume of 794.94 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well within its capacity. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, such plants are regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, ensuring compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Iowa River basin, eventually reaching the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural and recreational uses downstream. The plant's operation helps protect water quality in this important Midwestern river system.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Iowa River, which flows into the Mississippi River. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including species that rely on clean water for spawning and migration. The region's agricultural landscape means that nutrient management from wastewater is important to prevent algal blooms in downstream water bodies.