Decatur WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Decatur, Nebraska

Decatur WWTP serves the small community of Decatur in Burt County, Nebraska, United States. As a municipal wastewater treatment plant, it handles the domestic sewage from approximately 869 residents, reflecting the scale of a small rural agglomeration. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required under the US Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. Secondary treatment typically involves biological oxidation and settling to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant's designed capacity of 340.69 units aligns with its current discharge volume, indicating consistent operation within its design parameters. The treated effluent from Decatur WWTP is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Missouri River watershed. The Missouri River flows into the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. This downstream connection places the plant within a large, ecologically significant river basin that supports diverse aquatic life and provides water resources for communities and agriculture.

The treated effluent from Decatur WWTP enters local streams that feed into the Missouri River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system. The Missouri River watershed supports a variety of fish species and provides critical habitat for migratory birds along the Central Flyway. Downstream, the Mississippi River delivers nutrients and water to the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient loading can contribute to hypoxic zones. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids, mitigating its impact on the local aquatic ecosystem.