Burley Sewage Treatment Plant | Municipal Wastewater Facility in Burley, Idaho

Burley Sewage Treatment Plant is a municipal wastewater facility located in Burley, Minidoka County, Idaho. It serves a population of about 10,345 residents, placing it in the small-to-medium agglomeration category. The plant is situated inland, far from coastal waters, and its operations are regulated under the U.S. Clean Water Act. As a U.S. facility serving a population under 10,000, the plant is expected to meet secondary treatment standards under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. Regulatory compliance is enforced by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Snake River basin, a major tributary of the Columbia River. The Snake River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important resource for irrigation and recreation in southern Idaho. The plant's operations contribute to protecting downstream water quality in the Columbia River system.

The plant discharges into a receiving water body within the Snake River basin, which flows into the Columbia River and eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean. The Snake River supports a variety of fish species, including salmon and steelhead, making water quality management critical for downstream ecosystems. The plant's location in an agricultural region means its effluent must be carefully managed to prevent nutrient pollution that could affect aquatic habitats.