OSBORNE WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Osborne County, Kansas

OSBORNE WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Osborne County, Kansas, near the Osborne Municipal Airport. The plant serves a small population of 1,380 residents, reflecting the rural character of the area. It operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal plants discharging to surface waters. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard biological process that removes organic matter and suspended solids. With a design capacity of 779.79 and an actual discharge volume of 522.39, the facility operates below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. As a small agglomeration, it is subject to EPA NPDES permitting administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The treated effluent is discharged to a local water body, likely a stream or river within the Solomon River basin, which flows into the Smoky Hill River and eventually the Kansas River. This inland discharge supports local aquatic ecosystems and downstream water quality. The plant plays a key role in protecting public health and the environment in this rural Kansas community.

The plant discharges into a local watercourse within the Solomon River watershed, which drains into the Smoky Hill River and then the Kansas River, ultimately reaching the Missouri River and the Mississippi River system. The receiving waters support diverse aquatic life and are used for recreation and agriculture. The plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality in this inland basin, reducing nutrient and pathogen loads to downstream ecosystems.