GAYLORD WWTP - Smith County, Kansas Wastewater Treatment Plant

GAYLORD WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Smith County, Kansas, United States. The plant serves a small population of 158 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 75.71 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 56.78 million gallons per year, the facility operates below its capacity. This suggests adequate treatment capacity for the current service population. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the Solomon River basin, part of the Kansas River watershed, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations help protect downstream aquatic ecosystems and water quality in the region.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Solomon River, which flows into the Kansas River and then the Missouri-Mississippi River system, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports agricultural land use and provides habitat for fish and wildlife. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient loading and maintain water quality in this inland basin.