Houston WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Houston, British Columbia

Houston WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on Rail Street in Houston, British Columbia, within the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. The plant serves a population of 1,383 and operates under Canadian provincial regulations for wastewater treatment. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required for communities of this size in Canada. Secondary treatment removes biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids, producing effluent suitable for discharge into the environment. The plant's daily discharge volume is 621 cubic meters. The treated effluent is released into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Bulkley River system and then into the Skeena River, one of British Columbia's major salmon-bearing rivers. The Skeena River flows into the Pacific Ocean near Prince Rupert. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems, including important fish habitats.

The plant discharges into the Bulkley River watershed, which flows into the Skeena River and then the Pacific Ocean. The Skeena River is a critical habitat for Pacific salmon species, including Chinook, coho, and sockeye. The secondary treatment process helps reduce nutrient and pollutant loads that could otherwise impact fish spawning and rearing areas downstream.