SALINA PWA WWT - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in Salina, Oklahoma

SALINA PWA WWT is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Salina, Mayes County, Oklahoma. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,422 residents, providing advanced treatment to protect local water quality. As a facility in the United States, it operates under the Clean Water Act, with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. The plant employs advanced treatment processes, which go beyond secondary treatment to remove additional nutrients and contaminants. It has a designed capacity of 529.96 thousand cubic meters and an annual discharge volume of 454.25 thousand cubic meters, indicating a utilization rate of about 86%. This level of treatment is typical for smaller communities in the region that discharge to sensitive water bodies. The treated effluent from SALINA PWA WWT is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Arkansas River basin, part of the larger Mississippi River watershed. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream aquatic ecosystems and supports water quality in the region, which is characterized by agricultural land use and reservoirs.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Arkansas River, which flows through northeastern Oklahoma and eventually joins the Mississippi River. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is used for recreation and water supply. Advanced treatment at this facility helps reduce nutrient loading, which is critical for preventing algal blooms in downstream reservoirs and maintaining ecological balance in the river system.