WAUMANDEE SD 1 STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Town of Alma, Wisconsin

WAUMANDEE SD 1 STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in the Town of Alma, Buffalo County, Wisconsin. The plant serves a small population of approximately 100 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant has a designed capacity of 37.85 megaliters per year and currently treats 34.07 megaliters annually, indicating it operates below its full capacity. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, facilities of this scale are typically regulated through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The plant's secondary treatment level meets the minimum federal standard for municipal wastewater. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Mississippi River basin, ultimately reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations help protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystems of the Upper Mississippi River region, which supports diverse fish and wildlife populations. Its inland location reduces direct marine impact, but careful management is essential to prevent nutrient loading in the watershed.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Mississippi River, which flows through the Upper Mississippi River basin before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. This region supports diverse aquatic life, including migratory fish and waterfowl. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and nutrients, mitigating eutrophication risks in downstream waters. The local watershed is primarily agricultural, so the plant's nutrient removal plays a role in maintaining water quality in the broader Mississippi River system.