Unionville South Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Unionville, Missouri

Unionville South Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on US 136 in Unionville, Putnam County, Missouri. The plant serves a population of 933 and is part of the community's essential water infrastructure in this rural Midwestern area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 492,100 gallons per day and an average discharge volume of 446,680 gallons per day, the facility operates at approximately 91% capacity, indicating efficient use of its treatment capabilities. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Mississippi River basin. The plant plays a critical role in protecting downstream water quality and aquatic habitats in the region, supporting both ecological health and public health standards.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the Upper Mississippi River basin, eventually reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The surrounding area is primarily agricultural, and the plant helps reduce nutrient and pathogen loads that could otherwise contribute to downstream eutrophication and hypoxia in the Gulf. Its secondary treatment process is essential for maintaining water quality in this sensitive watershed.