Bartlett WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Wheeler County, Nebraska

Bartlett WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on Highway 281 in Wheeler County, Nebraska, serving a small rural population of 131. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level for small communities under the U.S. Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 64.35 units and discharges a similar volume of treated effluent. As a small facility, it operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The plant's treatment process meets the secondary treatment standards required by the EPA for facilities of this scale. The treated wastewater is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Loup River basin, part of the Platte River watershed. This region supports agricultural irrigation and wildlife habitats, making proper treatment essential for maintaining downstream water quality and ecosystem health.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Loup River, which flows into the Platte River and eventually the Missouri River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for irrigation and recreation. The secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads and protect downstream ecosystems in the Nebraska Sandhills region.