AUBURN WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Shawnee County, Kansas

AUBURN WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Shawnee County, Kansas, United States. The plant serves a small population of 1,131 residents, providing secondary treatment to meet state and federal water quality standards. As a small-scale facility, it plays a key role in managing local wastewater in the rural and suburban areas of Shawnee County. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. It has a designed capacity of 647.30 m³/day and currently discharges 378.54 m³/day of treated effluent. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent is discharged into a local receiving water body, which ultimately drains into the Kansas River basin. The Kansas River flows eastward to join the Missouri River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. This downstream connection highlights the plant's role in protecting water quality in the broader Mississippi River watershed, which supports diverse aquatic life and provides drinking water for millions.

The plant's discharge enters a local watercourse that flows into the Kansas River, a major tributary of the Missouri River. The Kansas River basin supports a variety of fish species and provides habitat for migratory birds. Downstream, the Missouri River joins the Mississippi River, which drains into the Gulf of Mexico. Protecting water quality in this watershed is important for maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems and ensuring safe water for downstream communities.