Wilton Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Burleigh County, North Dakota

Wilton Lagoon is a wastewater treatment facility located in Burleigh County, North Dakota, serving a small population of 711 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, and is situated inland away from coastal areas. The plant's designed capacity is 378.54 megaliters, with an annual discharge volume of 264.98 megaliters. As a US facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the state of North Dakota, which regulate effluent quality and discharge limits. The treated effluent from Wilton Lagoon is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Missouri River basin, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system. The plant plays a role in protecting downstream water quality in the region's prairie streams and rivers.

The plant discharges into the Missouri River watershed, which flows through the Great Plains and eventually into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic life, including native fish species and migratory birds. The region's semi-arid climate and agricultural land use make water quality management important for both ecological health and downstream uses.