South Haven WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Sumner County, Kansas

South Haven WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Sumner County, Kansas, United States. The facility serves a small population of 359 residents, providing secondary treatment to meet state and federal water quality standards. As a small-scale plant, it plays a vital role in protecting local water resources in the rural Great Plains region. The plant operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater facilities. With a designed capacity of 264.98 million gallons per year and an actual discharge volume of 151.42 million gallons per year, the plant operates below its capacity. Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), the plant is permitted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to ensure compliance with effluent limits. The treated effluent is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Arkansas River basin. The Arkansas River flows through Kansas and Oklahoma before reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations help maintain water quality in the region, supporting aquatic life and downstream uses such as irrigation and recreation.

The plant discharges into tributaries of the Arkansas River, which flows through the Great Plains and eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico. The Arkansas River basin supports diverse aquatic habitats and is an important water source for agriculture and communities. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic loads, protecting downstream water quality in this semi-arid region where water resources are critical.