Photos of Argus Leader's rare tour into Smithfield's wastewater facility - Argus Leader

Photos of Argus Leader's rare tour into Smithfield's wastewater facility
Samantha Laurey

Sioux Falls Argus Leader

Smithfield Foods' former wastewater treatment lagoons can be seen from the roof of their new, state-of-the-art facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. Smithfield's new wastewater complex started construction in May 2021 and ended in June, which led the company to decommission their old system. Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader

A surface aerator churns wastewater within one of Smithfield Foods' million-gallon lagoons at Smithfield Foods in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. The mixing action within the wastewater generates heat within the sewage, which contributes to the evaporative processes that turn the toxic nitrate compounds into nitrogen gas. Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader

Hardened wastewater floats in one of the corners of Smithfield Foods' wastewater lagoons at Smithfield Foods in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. Smithfield Foods Director of Environmental Affairs Jason Lindquist said the sewage is mostly made-up of water, but the small amounts of hog feces, urine and blood that make their way into the system necessitate treatment. Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader

A surface aerator churns wastewater within one of Smithfield Foods' million-gallon lagoons at Smithfield Foods in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. The mixing action within the wastewater generates heat within the sewage, which contributes to the evaporative processes that turn the toxic nitrate compounds into nitrogen gas. Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader

Flow pipes take into account the turbidity levels of Smithfield Foods' wastewater as its transported throughout their wastewater treatment facility at Smithfield Foods in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. Meters on the pipes showed turbidity levels ranging from .15 to .45 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), which is within range of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 1 NTU drinking water standard. Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader

Ultraviolet light shines over treated wastewater at Smithfield Foods in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. This state-of-the-art process disinfects the wastewater of any leftover bacteria used in earlier treatment processes before it is released into the Big Sioux River. Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader