Elmwood WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Cass County, Nebraska

Elmwood WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Cass County, Nebraska, along the MoPac Trail. It serves a small population of 668 residents, operating as a secondary treatment plant under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act. The plant's designed capacity is 227.12 megaliters per year, with a discharge volume of 189.27 megaliters per year, indicating it operates below capacity. As a secondary treatment facility, Elmwood WWTP provides biological treatment to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting the standard requirements for municipal wastewater plants in the United States. The plant is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, which set effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent from Elmwood WWTP is discharged into local streams that drain into the Platte River basin, a major tributary of the Missouri River. The Platte River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The plant's operations help maintain the ecological health of these waterways by reducing pollutant loads.

Elmwood WWTP discharges into local streams that flow into the Platte River, which eventually joins the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River, draining into the Gulf of Mexico. The Platte River basin is a critical habitat for migratory birds, including sandhill cranes, and supports diverse fish species. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect this downstream ecosystem from nutrient pollution and organic waste.