Burr Oak WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Burr Oak, Kansas

Burr Oak WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Burr Oak, Jewell County, Kansas, serving a small population of 272 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for communities of this size in the United States, ensuring compliance with federal and state water quality standards. The plant's designed capacity is 227.12 units, with an average daily discharge of 98.42 units, indicating it operates well below its maximum capacity. As a US facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect receiving water bodies. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Republican River basin, part of the larger Missouri River watershed. This region supports agricultural activities and provides habitat for aquatic species. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge, contributing to the ecological health of downstream waters.

The plant's discharge enters local streams that flow into the Republican River, a tributary of the Kansas River, which ultimately joins the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is used for irrigation and recreation. The secondary treatment process reduces biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids, protecting downstream water quality and aquatic habitats.