Overview
Missouri River STP in Omaha, Nebraska, serves approximately 190,290 people. The plant discharges treated wastewater into the Missouri River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system.
The Missouri River STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Omaha, Nebraska, along the South 10th Street corridor. Serving a population of roughly 190,290, it is one of the larger treatment plants in the region, handling wastewater from a significant portion of Omaha's urban and suburban areas. The plant's scale places it within the large agglomeration category under U. S. regulatory frameworks. As a U. S. facility, the Missouri River STP operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, typically administered by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy. For a plant of this size, secondary treatment is the minimum standard, though many large plants employ advanced treatment to meet stringent nutrient limits, especially given the downstream sensitivity of the Mississippi River basin. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the Missouri River, which flows southeast to join the Mississippi River near St. Louis. This river system drains a vast agricultural and industrial region, ultimately reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a critical role in protecting water quality in the Missouri River and mitigating nutrient loading that contributes to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone.
Environmental context
The Missouri River STP discharges into the Missouri River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system that drains into the Gulf of Mexico. The river supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for fish and birds. Nutrient pollution from wastewater and agricultural runoff in this basin contributes to seasonal hypoxia in the Gulf, making effective treatment at plants like this one essential for downstream ecosystem health.
Frequently asked questions
The Missouri River STP is located on South 10th Street in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, United States.
The plant serves approximately 190,290 people, making it a large municipal wastewater treatment facility in the Omaha metropolitan area.
The plant discharges treated wastewater into the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi River and ultimately reaches the Gulf of Mexico.
As a U. S. facility, the plant operates under the Clean Water Act and is regulated by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, typically issued by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.
For a plant of this size, secondary treatment is the minimum federal standard, but many large plants employ advanced treatment to meet state-specific nutrient limits, especially when discharging into sensitive river systems like the Missouri.
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