Before 1956, sewage in the City of St. Cloud was not treated. All wastewater from homes and businesses was dumped directly to the Mississippi River without treatment. The City of St. Cloud's first wastewater treatment facility was constructed in 1956 and was located near 4th Avenue South.
In 1972, the federal Clean Water Act allowed for funding to be distributed to communities to build wastewater treatment facilities to protect the health of the nation's waterways.
Today, the Wastewater Treatment Facility is located in south St. Cloud and services the area communities including St. Augusta, St. Joseph, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, and Waite Park.
Sustainability Initiatives at the Wastewater Treatment Plant
The St. Cloud Wastewater Treatment Facility has started several new energy efficiency initiatives. The facility is also producing renewable energy with a 20 kW rooftop solar array, a 220 kW solar array, and a biofuel generator. Energy projections state that 80% of the Wastewater Treatment Facility's energy demand will come from renewable sources by the year 2018.
You can view the real time production of the Wastewater Treatment Facility's 220 kW solar array by clicking on the photo to the right.