ZENDA WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Zenda, Kansas

ZENDA WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located on South Main Street in Zenda, Kansas, a small community in Kingman County. The facility serves a population of approximately 115 residents, reflecting its role as a small-scale treatment system for the local area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. Secondary treatment typically involves biological oxidation and sedimentation to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant's designed capacity is 60.57 megaliters per year, and it treats an annual discharge volume of 45.43 megaliters, indicating operational headroom. The treated effluent is discharged into a local waterway, contributing to the watershed that ultimately drains into the Arkansas River basin. The plant's operations are subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, ensuring compliance with water quality standards to protect downstream aquatic ecosystems.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Arkansas River, which flows through the Great Plains region of Kansas before joining the Mississippi River system. The local watershed supports agricultural land use and provides habitat for fish and wildlife. The Arkansas River basin is ecologically important for migratory birds and aquatic species, and the plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality in this semi-arid region.