DOWNS WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Osborne County, Kansas

DOWNS WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Osborne County, Kansas, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,038 people, placing it in the small agglomeration category under U.S. regulatory frameworks. It operates under the Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal plants discharging to surface waters. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for domestic wastewater that removes biodegradable organics and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 567.81 units and a discharge volume of 393.68 units, the facility operates below its design capacity. As a U.S. plant, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which set effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body within the Kansas River basin, which ultimately drains to the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems and maintaining water quality in the region's agricultural landscape.

The plant discharges into a receiving water body within the Kansas River basin, which flows into the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is an important corridor for migratory fish species. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic loads, protecting water quality in this agriculturally influenced watershed.