Galena WWTP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Galena, Missouri

Galena WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Galena, Stone County, Missouri, United States. The facility serves a small population of 440 residents, reflecting the rural character of the area in the Ozarks region. The plant provides advanced treatment, which goes beyond secondary treatment to remove nutrients and other pollutants. With a designed capacity of 227.12 megaliters per year and an actual discharge volume of 151.42 megaliters per year, the plant operates below its capacity. Under the US Clean Water Act, such facilities are regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body that ultimately drains into the White River basin, which flows into Table Rock Lake and then the Arkansas River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream aquatic ecosystems and recreational water quality in the region.

The plant's discharge enters a tributary of the White River, which flows into Table Rock Lake, a large reservoir on the Missouri-Arkansas border. The White River basin supports diverse aquatic life, including game fish species, and the lake is a popular recreation area. Advanced treatment at the plant helps minimize nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing algal blooms and maintaining water quality in the downstream chain.