Prairie Grove WWTP, Prairie Grove

Overview

Prairie Grove WWTP serves approximately 4,380 residents in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. The facility operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, with NPDES permits issued by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment.

Prairie Grove WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, serving a population of about 4,380. The plant is situated in Washington County, within the Ozark Highlands region, and treats domestic wastewater from the local community. As a small to medium-sized agglomeration in the United States, the plant is subject to the U.S. Clean Water Act and operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment. Such permits set effluent limits based on technology-based standards and water quality requirements to protect receiving waters. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Illinois River, a tributary of the Arkansas River, which flows into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality in this ecologically sensitive Ozark watershed.

Environmental context

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Illinois River, which flows through the Ozark ecoregion before joining the Arkansas River. The Illinois River is a popular destination for recreation and supports diverse aquatic life, including several species of freshwater mussels and fish. The watershed is sensitive to nutrient pollution, making effective wastewater treatment critical for maintaining water quality and ecosystem health.

Frequently asked questions

Prairie Grove WWTP is located at 12676 Forest Road in Prairie Grove, Washington County, Arkansas, United States.

The plant serves approximately 4,380 residents in the Prairie Grove area.

The treated effluent is discharged into a local tributary that flows into the Illinois River, part of the Arkansas River basin, ultimately reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

As a U.S. facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is regulated by an NPDES permit issued by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality.

For small to medium-sized communities in Arkansas, secondary treatment is standard, often using activated sludge or lagoon systems, with disinfection to meet permit limits.