HORTON WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Atchison County, Kansas

HORTON WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Atchison County, Kansas, serving a population of approximately 1,967 residents. The plant operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater discharges to protect water quality. The plant provides secondary treatment, a biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 844.14 thousand cubic meters per year, the facility treats an average discharge volume of 741.94 thousand cubic meters annually. As a small-scale plant, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets effluent limits to safeguard receiving waters. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways within the Missouri River basin, ultimately draining into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a role in maintaining water quality in this agriculturally intensive region, helping to reduce nutrient and pollutant loads that could impact downstream aquatic ecosystems.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is part of a major migratory corridor for birds and fish. Nutrient loading from agricultural runoff is a key concern in this region, making the plant's secondary treatment important for reducing downstream eutrophication risks.