Clifton Hill WWTF - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Randolph County, Missouri

Clifton Hill WWTF is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Randolph County, Missouri, United States. The plant serves a small community of 114 residents, reflecting its role in rural wastewater management. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 49.21 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 41.64 million gallons per year, the plant operates below its capacity. The regulatory framework for such small plants in Missouri is overseen by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which issues National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to ensure compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Missouri River watershed. The Missouri River flows eastward to join the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's discharge contributes to the overall water quality of the region, supporting downstream aquatic ecosystems and recreational uses.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Missouri River, which is part of the larger Mississippi River basin. The Missouri River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish species. Downstream, the river flows through agricultural and urban areas before reaching the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient loading can contribute to hypoxic zones. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants but may not fully address nutrient removal, which is a concern for the Gulf's dead zone.