Oxford WWTP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant in Oxford, Iowa

Oxford WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Oxford, Johnson County, Iowa, United States. The facility serves a small population of 668 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. The plant is situated at 1521 Lower Oxford Road Northwest, near the city center. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. Secondary treatment typically involves biological oxidation and sedimentation to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 340.69 megaliters and currently discharges 189.27 megaliters annually, indicating it operates below its full capacity. The treated effluent is discharged into a local water body, likely a nearby stream or river within the Mississippi River basin. The plant's operations are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. This ensures compliance with water quality standards to protect downstream aquatic ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a receiving water body that flows into the Iowa River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River ultimately drains into the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life, including fish and macroinvertebrates, and the plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading that could contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf.