La Cygne WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in La Cygne, Kansas

La Cygne WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in La Cygne, Linn County, Kansas. The plant serves a small population of approximately 1,100 people, reflecting the rural character of the area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 662.45 volume units and an average daily discharge of 389.90 units, the plant operates well within its capacity. As a US facility, it operates under an EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into local streams that drain into the Marais des Cygnes River, a tributary of the Osage River, which ultimately flows into the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and provides habitat for fish and wildlife species typical of the central Great Plains region.

The plant discharges into the Marais des Cygnes River basin, which flows through eastern Kansas into the Osage River in Missouri. The Osage River joins the Missouri River, which empties into the Mississippi River. This watershed supports a variety of fish species and provides critical habitat for migratory birds along the Central Flyway. The region's agricultural land use means that nutrient management from wastewater is important to prevent downstream eutrophication.