HYSHAM WWTP - Treasure County, Montana Wastewater Treatment Plant

HYSHAM WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on River Road in Treasure County, Montana, serving a small population of 410 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for most domestic wastewater facilities. The plant has a designed capacity of 181.70 million gallons per year and currently discharges 155.20 million gallons per year, indicating operational capacity below design levels. As a facility in the United States, it operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program administered by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, ensuring compliance with federal water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Yellowstone River basin, a major tributary of the Missouri River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural and recreational uses in southeastern Montana.

The plant's discharge enters a tributary of the Yellowstone River, which flows into the Missouri River and eventually the Mississippi River system. The Yellowstone River basin is ecologically significant, supporting native fish species such as pallid sturgeon and providing critical habitat for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect water quality in this semi-arid region where water resources are vital for agriculture and wildlife.