Overton WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Dawson County, Nebraska

Overton WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Dawson County, Nebraska, serving a population of 646. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, ensuring compliance with Clean Water Act requirements. The plant has a designed capacity of 264.98 megaliters and currently discharges 189.27 megaliters annually. As a secondary treatment facility, it uses biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that drains into the Platte River basin, eventually reaching the Missouri River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in protecting the region's surface water quality and supporting downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Platte River, which flows through Nebraska and joins the Missouri River near Omaha. The Platte River is a critical habitat for migratory birds, including sandhill cranes, and supports diverse aquatic life. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protect the river's ecological health.