Overview
Intercontinental Airport WWTP serves Houston, Texas, treating wastewater from the airport and surrounding area. The plant has a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day and serves a population of 20,000.
Intercontinental Airport WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Houston, Texas, United States. It serves the George Bush Intercontinental Airport and nearby communities, with a population equivalent of 20,000. The plant is part of Houston's extensive wastewater infrastructure, managed under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 1.00 million gallons per day. As a facility serving a medium-sized agglomeration, it is expected to meet secondary treatment standards under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. Typical airport wastewater treatment includes primary and secondary processes to handle both domestic and industrial flows. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that drain into the San Jacinto River basin and eventually Galveston Bay. This coastal ecosystem supports diverse aquatic life and is an important nursery for fish and shellfish. The plant's operation is critical for protecting downstream water quality in the Houston Ship Channel and Galveston Bay.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the San Jacinto River watershed, which flows into Galveston Bay, a major estuary on the Texas Gulf Coast. Galveston Bay supports diverse aquatic life, including oysters, shrimp, and migratory birds. The bay is ecologically sensitive due to industrial and urban runoff, making proper wastewater treatment essential for maintaining water quality and habitat health.
Frequently asked questions
Intercontinental Airport WWTP is located on Alfano Street in Houston, Harris County, Texas, United States. It serves the George Bush Intercontinental Airport and surrounding communities.
The plant serves a population equivalent of 20,000 people, including airport operations and nearby residential areas.
The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that flow into the San Jacinto River basin, eventually reaching Galveston Bay on the Texas Gulf Coast.
As a US facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets discharge limits and monitoring requirements.
For a medium-sized agglomeration of 20,000 people, secondary treatment is typically required under the Clean Water Act. This involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids before discharge.
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