Vernon WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Vernon Township, Michigan

Vernon WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Vernon Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan. The facility serves a small population of 830 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community within the Great Lakes region. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal facilities of this scale. With a designed capacity of 340.69 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 302.83 million gallons per year, the plant operates below its capacity, indicating adequate headroom for current demand. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Shiawassee River, a tributary of the Saginaw River system flowing into Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. This connection to the Great Lakes ecosystem underscores the importance of maintaining treatment standards to protect downstream water quality and aquatic habitats.

The plant discharges into the Shiawassee River watershed, which flows into the Saginaw River and then into Saginaw Bay, part of Lake Huron. This region supports diverse aquatic life and is important for migratory fish species. The Great Lakes ecosystem is sensitive to nutrient pollution, making secondary treatment essential for protecting water quality.