Overview
Gorham WWTP is a secondary treatment facility serving 328 people in Gorham, Kansas. It discharges 75.71 million gallons annually and operates under US EPA NPDES regulations.
Gorham WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on Carrie Street in Gorham, Kansas, serving a population of 328. The facility provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, and discharges approximately 75.71 million gallons of treated wastewater annually. Its designed capacity is 87.06 million gallons, indicating operational headroom. As a US facility, Gorham WWTP operates under the Clean Water Act, with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. These permits set effluent limits for biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and other parameters to protect water quality. Secondary treatment typically removes 85% of pollutants, meeting federal baseline requirements. The plant's treated effluent flows into local waterways within the Kansas River basin, ultimately draining to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. This downstream connection underscores the plant's role in maintaining water quality in a region dominated by agriculture and small communities. Proper treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protects aquatic habitats in the broader watershed.
Environmental context
Gorham WWTP discharges into the Kansas River basin, which flows eastward to the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River, reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a larger system affected by agricultural runoff. The plant's secondary treatment helps mitigate nutrient pollution, which is critical for preventing hypoxic zones downstream.
Frequently asked questions
Gorham WWTP is located on Carrie Street in Gorham, Kansas, within Russell County. It serves the local community of approximately 328 residents.
The plant serves a population of 328 people, classifying it as a small municipal wastewater treatment facility in the United States.
The plant discharges treated effluent into local waterways within the Kansas River basin, which eventually flows to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
Gorham WWTP provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal plants. This process removes approximately 85% of organic pollutants and suspended solids.
As a US facility, Gorham WWTP operates under the Clean Water Act and is regulated by an NPDES permit issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The permit sets effluent limits to protect water quality in the receiving waters.
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