The Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District (IGLSD) treats municipal wastewater from several communities around the Iowa Great Lakes including; Arnolds Park, Okoboji, Milford, Orleans, Spirit Lake, West Okoboji, Wahpeton and some of the unincorporated areas around the Iowa Great Lakes.

The District’s collection system includes a service area of approximately 12,000 acres. Municipal wastewater includes wastewater from homes as well as businesses and industries within the service area. The wastewater passes through several treatment processes at the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) to remove pollutants before discharge into Milford Creek. The treated WWTP effluent must meet stringent standards which are defined in the plant’s discharge permit by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The use of the receiving stream determines the level of water quality and the corresponding limitations on pollutants.