AGRA WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Phillips County, Kansas

AGRA WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Phillips County, Kansas, United States. The plant serves a small population of 332 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which governs wastewater discharges through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the US, which typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 189.27 megaliters per year and an actual discharge volume of 113.56 megaliters, the facility operates below its capacity, indicating room for future growth or seasonal variability. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, likely a stream or river within the Kansas River basin, which ultimately drains into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's inland location and small scale minimize its impact on sensitive coastal ecosystems, though local water quality is important for downstream aquatic life and agricultural uses.

The plant discharges into a local watercourse within the Kansas River watershed, which flows into the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The surrounding region is primarily agricultural, and the plant's effluent contributes to the base flow of local streams, supporting aquatic habitats and irrigation. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient loading and protect downstream water quality in this inland basin.