SHARON WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Sharon, Kansas

SHARON WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Sharon, Kansas, a small community in Barber County. The plant serves a population of 201 residents, providing essential sanitation services for this rural area. As a secondary treatment plant, it operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires such facilities to meet effluent standards that protect receiving water bodies. The plant has a designed capacity of 71.92 volume units and processes a similar discharge volume, indicating it operates at full capacity. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids. The plant's operations are likely overseen by state or local authorities under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The treated effluent from SHARON WWTP is discharged into local streams that eventually drain into the Arkansas River basin. This watershed supports agricultural activities and provides habitat for aquatic species. By treating wastewater to secondary standards, the plant helps maintain water quality in the region's surface waters, which are important for both ecological health and downstream uses.

SHARON WWTP discharges into local waterways that are part of the Arkansas River basin, which flows through Kansas and ultimately into the Mississippi River system. The surrounding area is primarily agricultural, and the plant's effluent contributes to the base flow of these streams. Maintaining secondary treatment standards helps protect downstream aquatic life and supports the ecological integrity of the prairie stream ecosystem.