Hartshorne WWT Wastewater Treatment Plant | Hartshorne, Oklahoma

Hartshorne WWT is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Hartshorne, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. The plant serves a population of approximately 3,500 people, reflecting a small to medium-sized community in the rural southeastern part of the state. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal plants of this scale. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 1,987.34 cubic meters per day and a current discharge volume of 794.94 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. The plant is permitted through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), administered by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Arkansas River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agriculture and recreation. The plant's inland location and secondary treatment help protect downstream water quality in this ecologically important region.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Arkansas River, which flows through Oklahoma and Arkansas before joining the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic species, including several native fish and mussel populations. The downstream environment includes reservoirs and wetlands that provide critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and suspended solids, helping maintain water quality in this sensitive riverine ecosystem.