MARLAND PWA WWT - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Old Bliss, Oklahoma

MARLAND PWA WWT is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Old Bliss, Noble County, Oklahoma. Serving a small population of 280, the plant provides secondary treatment to meet Clean Water Act standards for inland communities in the Great Plains region. The plant has a designed capacity of 113.56 thousand cubic meters and currently discharges 75.71 thousand cubic meters annually. As a secondary treatment facility, it follows US EPA NPDES permit requirements, which mandate biological treatment to reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids before discharge. The treated effluent is released into local waterways that drain into the Arkansas River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a role in protecting downstream water quality in a region characterized by agricultural land use and seasonal precipitation patterns.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Arkansas River, which flows through Oklahoma and Arkansas before joining the Mississippi River. The downstream environment supports diverse aquatic life and is an important corridor for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading that could otherwise contribute to algal blooms in receiving waters.