Florence WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Florence, Kansas

Florence WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Florence, Kansas, serving a small population of 671 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater before discharge into surface waters. The plant has a designed capacity of 314.19 million gallons per year and currently discharges 253.62 million gallons annually, indicating operational capacity below design levels. As a U.S. facility, it operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the Cottonwood River, a tributary of the Neosho River, which flows into the Arkansas River and eventually the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural and recreational uses in the region.

The plant's discharge enters a local stream that flows into the Cottonwood River, part of the Neosho River basin, which drains into the Arkansas River and ultimately the Mississippi River. This watershed supports a variety of fish species and provides habitat for migratory birds. The secondary treatment process helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids, protecting downstream water quality for aquatic ecosystems and human uses.