Bessie WWT - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Washita County, Oklahoma

Bessie WWT is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Washita County, Oklahoma, serving a small population of 190 residents. The plant operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level for small communities in the US. Its designed capacity is 75.71 million gallons per year, matching the reported discharge volume, indicating full utilization. The facility is permitted under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), administered by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent is discharged to a local water body that drains into the Washita River, a tributary of the Red River, which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in protecting local water quality in the rural Oklahoma landscape, supporting downstream aquatic ecosystems and agricultural water uses.

The plant discharges into a local stream that flows into the Washita River, a major tributary of the Red River. The Red River ultimately empties into the Gulf of Mexico, contributing to the Mississippi River watershed. The surrounding area is predominantly agricultural, and the plant helps prevent nutrient pollution and pathogen contamination in these waterways, which support diverse aquatic life and are used for irrigation and recreation.