LEWIS WWTP - Edwards County, Kansas Wastewater Treatment Plant

LEWIS WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Edwards County, Kansas, United States. It serves a small population of 452 residents, providing essential sanitation services for this rural community. The plant is situated in the central Great Plains region, an area characterized by agricultural land use and a semi-arid climate. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 170.34 volume units and discharges a similar volume, indicating it operates near its design capacity. As a small facility, it is subject to state-level NPDES permits that regulate effluent quality to protect receiving waters. The treated effluent from LEWIS WWTP is discharged into local streams that eventually drain into the Arkansas River basin. The Arkansas River flows through Kansas and Oklahoma before reaching the Mississippi River and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's discharge contributes to maintaining water quality in these downstream water bodies, which support aquatic life and agricultural uses in the region.

The plant discharges into local waterways that are part of the Arkansas River basin, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system. The Arkansas River flows through semi-arid plains and supports diverse aquatic habitats, including fish species such as channel catfish and various sunfish. Downstream, the river provides water for irrigation and municipal use, making the plant's treatment performance important for both ecological health and human water supply.