ELLIS WWTP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Ellis, Kansas

ELLIS WWTP is an advanced wastewater treatment facility located in Ellis, Kansas, United States. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,873 residents in the city of Ellis and surrounding areas. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all point source discharges. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove additional pollutants such as nutrients and pathogens. Its designed capacity is 1,135.62 thousand cubic meters per year, with an actual discharge volume of 707.87 thousand cubic meters annually. This indicates the plant operates below its full capacity, allowing for future growth. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that eventually drains into the Kansas River basin, part of the larger Mississippi River watershed. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality and aquatic ecosystems in the Great Plains region.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Kansas River, which flows into the Missouri River and ultimately the Mississippi River. The local watershed supports agricultural land use and provides habitat for fish and migratory birds. Advanced treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing algal blooms in downstream reservoirs and the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone.