Centralia WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Nemaha County, Kansas

Centralia WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Nemaha County, Kansas, United States. The plant serves a small population of 498 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal discharges to protect water quality. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 295.26 units and an average discharge volume of 200.63 units, the facility operates below its maximum capacity, indicating adequate headroom for current demand. As a small-scale plant, it is subject to state-level NPDES permits that set effluent limits based on the receiving water body's assimilative capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways within the Kansas River basin, which ultimately drains into the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural and municipal uses downstream. The plant's performance is critical to maintaining the ecological health of these regional water bodies.

The plant discharges into streams within the Kansas River basin, part of the larger Missouri-Mississippi River system. This watershed supports a variety of fish and wildlife species, including migratory birds and freshwater mussels. Downstream waters are used for irrigation, recreation, and drinking water supply, making nutrient and pathogen control important for public health and ecosystem integrity.