Overview
Oakesdale S_T Facility is a secondary wastewater treatment plant in Whitman County, Washington, serving approximately 450 people. It discharges 946.35 cubic meters of treated effluent daily.
The Oakesdale S_T Facility is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located along State Route 27 in Whitman County, Washington, United States. Designed to serve a population of around 450, it is classified as a small-scale treatment facility typical of rural communities in the Pacific Northwest. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 946.35 cubic meters per day, the facility operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for all point-source discharges. As a small plant, it must meet state and federal effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated wastewater is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Palouse River basin, a tributary of the Snake River. This watershed supports agricultural irrigation and provides habitat for native fish species. The plant's operations help maintain the ecological health of the region's surface waters.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into a tributary of the Palouse River, which flows into the Snake River and eventually the Columbia River, the largest river in the Pacific Northwest. The watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including salmonid species, and is an important corridor for migratory fish. The plant's secondary treatment reduces nutrient and organic loads, helping to prevent eutrophication in downstream water bodies.
Frequently asked questions
The Oakesdale S_T Facility is located on State Route 27 in Whitman County, Washington, United States, serving the small community of Oakesdale.
The plant serves approximately 450 people, typical of a small rural agglomeration in eastern Washington.
The plant discharges treated effluent into a local tributary that flows into the Palouse River, part of the Snake River basin.
The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, requiring an NPDES permit issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology to ensure compliance with effluent limits.
Small plants like this typically provide secondary treatment, which uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids, meeting state and federal standards.
Nearby plants