Detroit Lakes new wastewater treatment facility hosts open house The new wastewater treatment facility in Detroit Lakes was opened to members of the public for guided tours on Tuesday, May 18. The more than $33 million plant has the ability to handle 2.21 million gallons of wastewater per day, nearly twice the city s waste on average, and is designed to last for the next 20 years, according to the city s public utilities general manager. 6:06 am, May 19, 2021 × Vernell Roberts, general manager for Detroit Lakes Public Utilities, gives a tour of wastewater anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic zones at the new Detroit Lakes wastewater treatment plant during their open house on May 18, 2021. The new $33 million facility eliminates 94% of phosphorus and 75% of nitrogen from the plant s outflow, which ends up in Lake St. Clair. (Michael Achterling / Tribune)