Hughesville WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Pettis County, Missouri

Hughesville WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Pettis County, Missouri, United States. The plant serves a small population of 183 residents, providing secondary treatment to meet Clean Water Act standards. As a small-scale facility, it plays a vital role in protecting local water quality in rural Missouri. The plant operates under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program, which sets discharge limits for pollutants. With a designed capacity of 113.56 units and an average daily discharge of 37.85 units, the facility has adequate capacity for its service area. Secondary treatment, as defined by the Clean Water Act, typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent from Hughesville WWTP is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Missouri River watershed. The Missouri River flows eastward to join the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Protecting these downstream waters is essential for aquatic life, recreation, and drinking water supplies.

The plant's discharge enters small streams in Pettis County, part of the Missouri River basin. The Missouri River supports diverse aquatic species and provides habitat for migratory birds. Downstream, the river flows into the Mississippi River, which carries nutrients and pollutants to the Gulf of Mexico, where they can contribute to hypoxic zones. Effective wastewater treatment at Hughesville WWTP helps reduce nutrient loading and protects water quality in this extensive river system.