Water Pollution Control Plant

Plant Information
The City of Muscatine Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) collects wastewater from homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities and transports it through a series of pipes known as the collection system to the WPCP. Here, the City’s WPCP removes harmful organisms and other contaminates from the sewage so it can be discharged safely into the Mississippi River.

The Muscatine WPCP is an activated sludge treatment plant. The plant performs what would naturally occur in nature, in large tanks to help remove organic material. The clean water is returned to the Mississippi River and the Biosolids are stored for applying to designated land.

The WPCP has six certified operators that run and maintain the plant 24 hours per day. Operations, maintenance and laboratory staff work together to keep the plant within state regulations of a NPDES Permit (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System).

Originally, Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) were designed to treat domestic sewage only. However, our POTW also receives wastewater from industrial (non-domestic) users. Muscatine is required by the United States EPA and the Iowa DNR to implement a Pretreatment Program {Insert Hyperlink to Pretreatment Page} to control pollutants from the industrial users which may pass through or interfere with POTW treatment processes or which may contaminate biosolids.

The Pretreatment Program helps the plant keep the water discharge within the NPDES Permit that is required by the United States EPA. The influent (incoming wastewater) and effluent (treated wastewater) is tested by the plants certified laboratory. The Muscatine WPCP Lab works with operations to maintain the plant and keep the plant operating within the permit.

The WPCP maintains 21 pumping stations. Pumping stations pump the wastewater from the collection system to the WPCP. Pumping stations have electrical and mechanical controls that are maintained on a daily basis.

RV Dumping
The City of Muscatine Water Pollution Control Plant allows Recreational Vehicles (Camping Trailers or Motor Homes) to dispose of all wastewater at the WPCP dump site. There is no fee associated with this privilege, but dumping of illegal substances such as; cooking oils, pesticides, herbicides, fluids from vehicles, or any other chemicals that could interfere with the plant operations or pass through the plant is prohibited. To reach an operator from the dumpsite, use the phone located at the dump site to contact a plant operator.

Plant Staffing
The Muscatine WPCP is staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. The staff consists of twenty three employees.

Hours
Monday – Friday
Office 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Lab 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Operations: 24 hours per day, 7 days a week

Contact
Roger Kirby/Plant Director
1202 Musser Street
Muscatine, IA 52761
Phone: 563-263-2752
Fax: 563-263-3720
rkirby@ci.muscatine.ia.us