Burdett WWTP - Pawnee County, Kansas Wastewater Treatment Plant

Burdett WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Pawnee County, Kansas, serving a small population of 256 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, ensuring compliance with federal and state water quality standards. The plant has a designed capacity of 151.42 megaliters and discharges approximately 94.64 megaliters of treated effluent annually. As a US facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which set effluent limits to protect receiving waters. The treated wastewater is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Arkansas River basin, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system. This contributes to the ecological health of downstream aquatic habitats, supporting diverse species in the Great Plains region.

The plant discharges into the Arkansas River basin, which flows through Kansas and Oklahoma before joining the Mississippi River. This watershed supports agricultural irrigation and provides habitat for fish and migratory birds. The secondary treatment process reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping maintain water quality in this semi-arid region where water resources are critical for both human use and ecosystem health.