MEADE WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Meade County, Kansas

MEADE WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Meade County, Kansas, serving a population of approximately 1,414 residents. The plant is situated in a rural inland area of southwestern Kansas, far from coastal influences, and plays a key role in managing local wastewater for the community. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities of this scale. With a designed capacity of 670.02 and an average daily discharge of 533.74, the plant operates within its capacity. As a publicly owned treatment works (POTW), it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, likely a stream or river within the Arkansas River basin, which ultimately drains into the Mississippi River system. The plant's operations help maintain water quality in the region's surface waters, supporting agricultural and ecological uses downstream.

The plant discharges into a local watercourse within the Arkansas River watershed, which flows through the Great Plains and eventually reaches the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The surrounding region is semi-arid, with water resources critical for agriculture and wildlife. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids, protecting downstream aquatic habitats and ensuring compliance with state water quality standards.