Williston Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Williston, North Dakota

Williston Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Williston, North Dakota, serving a population of about 14,716. The plant is situated in the western part of the state, near the Missouri River basin, and plays a key role in managing the city's wastewater. As a lagoon-based system, it relies on natural processes for treatment, typical for smaller communities in the region. The plant operates under the US Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for discharges. The designed capacity is 1.00 million gallons per day, indicating a moderate-sized plant suitable for the population served. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River system. This downstream connection highlights the plant's role in protecting water quality in a major river basin that supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions downstream.

Williston Lagoon discharges into the Missouri River watershed, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic ecosystems, including fish species such as paddlefish and sturgeon. The plant's location in the semi-arid Northern Plains means that maintaining water quality is critical for downstream agricultural and municipal uses.