Wood River WWTP - Secondary Treatment Facility in Wood River, Nebraska

Wood River WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Wood River, Nebraska, serving a population of approximately 1,156 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for small communities in the United States, ensuring that organic matter and suspended solids are reduced before discharge. The plant has a designed capacity of 567.81 cubic meters per day and currently treats a similar volume, indicating full utilization. As a US facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, which set effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway that ultimately drains into the Platte River basin, a major tributary of the Missouri River. The Platte River supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds, including sandhill cranes. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading and protect downstream ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Platte River, which flows eastward to join the Missouri River near Omaha. The Platte River basin is ecologically significant, supporting a variety of fish and wildlife, including threatened species like the pallid sturgeon. Secondary treatment at this plant helps control organic pollution and nutrients, contributing to the health of the Platte River ecosystem.