Overview
ONEILL WWTP serves O'Neill, Nebraska, treating wastewater for approximately 3,733 residents. The plant operates under the US Clean Water Act's NPDES permit program.
ONEILL WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in O'Neill, Nebraska, a small city in Holt County. The plant serves a population of about 3,733, consistent with a small agglomeration in the rural Great Plains region. As a US facility, ONEILL WWTP operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy. The Clean Water Act requires secondary treatment for municipal plants, which is the expected standard for facilities of this scale. The plant's treated effluent is discharged to a local water body that ultimately drains into the Elkhorn River, a tributary of the Platte River, which flows into the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is important for regional agriculture and wildlife.
Environmental context
The plant's discharge enters a local stream that flows into the Elkhorn River, part of the Platte River basin. The Platte River system is a critical migratory corridor for sandhill cranes and other waterfowl, and supports diverse fish species. Downstream, the Missouri River and Mississippi River carry the water to the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient loading from upstream sources can contribute to hypoxic zones.
Frequently asked questions
ONEILL WWTP is located at 645 South Fitch Boulevard, O'Neill, Nebraska, in Holt County, United States.
The plant serves approximately 3,733 residents, classifying it as a small municipal wastewater treatment facility.
The plant discharges treated effluent to a local water body that flows into the Elkhorn River, part of the Platte River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico.
As a US facility, ONEILL WWTP operates under the Clean Water Act and is required to have an NPDES permit issued by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, which sets effluent limits and monitoring requirements.
For small municipal plants in the US, secondary treatment is the standard requirement under the Clean Water Act, typically involving biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids.
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