WLSSD 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act

Western Lake Superior Sanitary District celebrated 50 years of clean water by marking the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972 with an open house today. For those unaware The Clean Water Act set into motion a national focus on improving water quality including the funding necessary to support these efforts. The goals of Clean Water Act have been foundational to the work WLSSD does every day.

“We came from a place where we had a river and potentially a lake superior that was not fishable, not swimmable, not a place where you would even fall in love with the lake. You would take a vista ride with your family where you’d go canoeing, kayaking. We’ve worked to make that. So that’s exactly what we enjoy every day,” says Aj Axtell Director of community relations for WLSSD.

The Clean Water Act was implemented to improve water quality in US waterways.  Via result, WLSSD has been cleaning wastewater to help recover and protect the vitality of the St. Louis River, along with state and local efforts, since 1978. The Minnesota legislature established WLSSD in May 22, 1971, and began operating its advanced wastewater treatment plant 7 years later. Prior to its opening, untreated and undertreated sewage was discharged into the St. Louis River from cities and industries, causing grave pollution problems in the river.