Every flush of the toilet you make in Great Bend sends wastewater to the Wastewater Treatment Facility on Kiowa Road, south of 10th Street. The facility processes approximately 1.2 million gallons of wastewater a day.
The Great Bend Wastewater staff has been working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen from the water discharge according to Public Works Director Charlie Suchy.
Charlie Suchy Audio
After water comes into the plant, the process uses microorganisms to remove contaminants before the water is discharged into the Arkansas River.
KDHE wants the Great Bend facility’s goal for their discharges to be 10 parts nitrogen (10 mg/l) and one part phosphorus (1 mg/l). The goal would be for the following five-year permit the city has with KDHE.
Charlie Suchy Audio
Suchy says the yearly average at the Wastewater Treatment Facility has seen a water ratio with 10 parts nitrogen and 1 ½ parts phosphorus. Suchy anticipated if they are unable to get the phosphorus levels down, alum would be added to the chemical process.