Muscotah WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Muscotah, Kansas

Muscotah WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located on 278th Road in Muscotah, a small community in Atchison County, Kansas. The plant serves a population of about 200 residents, reflecting its role as a small-scale treatment facility for the rural area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 94.64 megaliters per year and an actual discharge volume of 75.71 megaliters per year, the plant operates below its capacity. As a US facility, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, ensuring compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Missouri River watershed. The plant's location in the Great Plains region means it plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality in a primarily agricultural landscape, supporting aquatic life and recreational uses in the receiving waters.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic species and is important for migratory birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loads, protecting downstream ecosystems from eutrophication.