Unionville North Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Unionville, Missouri

Unionville North Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Unionville, Putnam County, Missouri. The plant serves a small population of 932 residents, providing secondary treatment to meet local water quality standards. As a lagoon-based system, it relies on natural biological processes to treat wastewater before discharge. The plant operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal facilities. Its designed capacity is 416.39 million gallons per year, with an actual discharge volume of 408.82 million gallons per year, indicating near-capacity operation. The plant is permitted through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), administered by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Mississippi River basin. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems, including the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, by reducing nutrient and pollutant loads from the community.

The plant discharges into receiving waters that are part of the Mississippi River watershed, ultimately flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is important for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient pollution that can contribute to hypoxic zones in the Gulf.